Marine Mammal 

Protection Act of 1972 

Annual Report 

April 1,1987 to June 30,1988 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Robert Mosbacher, Secretary 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

William E. Evans, Under Secretary 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

James W. Brennan, Assistant Administrator 
THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE 

Washington. D.C. 20230 

President of the Senate 

Speaker of the House of Representatives 

Dear Sirs: 

I am pleased to submit the Annual Report of the 

Department of Commerce regarding the administration of 

the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 for the period 

April 1, 1987 through June 30, 1988, as required by 

Section 103 (f) of the Act. 

The Department of Commerce is responsible for 

implementing the Act with respect to whales and 

porpoises of the order Cetacea and seals and sea lions 

of the suborder Pinnipedia. The report details the 

activities of the Department regarding these marine 

mammals. 

Enclosure 

Robert A. Mosbacher 
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 

INTRODUCTION 

REAUTHORIZA1-ION OF THE MMPA 

MARINE MAMMALS AND COMMERCIAL FISHING 

General Permits 

lncidental Take of Marine Mammals in East Coast 

Joint-Venture Fishery 

lncidental Take of Porpoise in the Yellowfin Tuna Fishery 

Importing Yellowfin Tuna 

lncidental Take of Dall's Porpoise in the 

Japanese Salmon Gillnet Fishery 

MARINE MAMMALS AND THE FISHERY RESOURCE 

Pacific Northwest 

California 

Alaska 

Northeast 

SUBISTENCE TAKE OF MARINE MAMMALS 

Bowhead Whales in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas 

Northern Fur Seals on the Pribilof Islands 

REQUEST FOR A SMALL TAKE OF BOWHEAD AND GRAY WHALES 

PERMITS FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 

WHALE WATCHING WORKSHOP 

STRANDINGS OF MARINE MAMMALS 

Stranding Workshop 

Dolphin and Whale Strandings on the East Coast 

Regional Networks 
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS 

International Whaling Commission 

North Pacific Fur Seal Commission 

International North Pacific Fisheries Commission 

US-USSR Marine Mammal Project 

Inter-American TRopical Tuna Commission 

ENFORCEMENT OF THE MMPA 

DEPLETED MARINE MAMMALS 

Northern Fur Seal 

Northern Sea Lion 

Hawaiian Monk Seal 

Bowhead Whale 

Humpback Whale 

Right Whale 

Gray Whale 

REPORTS ON SELECTED SPECIES 

Bottlenose Dolphin 

Beluga Whale 

Atlantic Ocean-Multispecies Studies 

LEGAL ACTIONS 

APPENDIX 

Permit Tables 

Population Estimates 

Publications List 

FRONT COVER: Adult male northern fur seal on the Pribilof 

Islands, Alaska. Photo by Charles W. Fowler, National Marine 

Mammal Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, 

Wasllington. 

BACK COVER: Three juvenile pilot whales rescued from a 

mass stranding recover in a pool at the New England Aquarium. 

I'hoto furnished by New England Aquarium, Boston, Mass. 
Northern fur seals on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska. Photo by 

Charles W. Fowler, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, Washington. 
assage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act 

P(MMPA or the Act) in 1972 committed the 

United States to long-term management and research programs to conserve and protect these 

animals. With few exceptions, the Act places a 

moratorium on taking or importing marine mammals or their products into the United States. It 

delegates authority and responsibility for oceanic 

marine mammals to the Secretary of the Agency 

where the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) operates. Species of the 

order Cetacea (whales and dolphins) and the 

order Carnivora, suborder Pinnipedia (seals and 

sea lions), are the responsibility of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The 

Department of the Interior is responsible for the 

dugong, manatee, polar bear, sea otter, and walrus. 

Marine mammals may be taken for scientilic 

research, public display, and incidentally to commercial fishing. Under the MMPA, the term 

"take" means to hunt, capture, kill or harass, or to 

attempt these actions. In 1981, amendments to 

the Act added two categozes of "smal~~he 

_.-- Alaska may take marine mammals for subsistence 

use and production of handicrafts. . .. . - .---I. --.r-- . . 

NMFS grants or denies requests for exemptions, 

issues permits, carries out research and management programs, enforces the Act, participates in 

international programs, and issues rules and 

regulations to carry out its mission to conserve and 

protect marine mammals. NMFS cooperates with 

the States, conservation organizations, industries, 

the public, other Federal agencies, the Marine 

Mammal Commission, and many constituent 

groups including scientific researchers and zoos 

and aquariums. 

NMFS's marine mammal research programs are 

'the responsibility of the NationalMarine Mammal 

-Laboratory (NMML), Northwest and Alaska 

Fisheries Center, Seattle, Wash.; the Northeast 

Fisheries Center, Woods Hole, Mass.; the 

Southeast Fisheries Center, Miami, Fla.; and the 

Southwest Fisheries Center, La Jolla, Calif. 

Management programs are the responsibility of 

the Alaska Region, Juneau, Alaska; the Northeast 

Region, Gloucester, Mass.; the Northwest 

Region, Seattle, Wash; the Southeast Region, St. 

Petersburg, Ha.; and the Southwest Region, Ter- 

.mind Island. Calif. Research and management 

pr_grams are coordinated -by-of -.-T7I 

PLo(ected Resources in NM& Ae;iX@YarYers, 

Washington, DC., Dr. Nancy Foster, Director. 

This Annual Report to Congress is available 

from the Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD 

20910. For further information, contact Margaret 

Lorenz, Protected Species Management Division, 

(301) 427-2322. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 1 
SUMMARY 

B 0th the Senate and the House of Representatives held hearings in 1988 to consider 

reauthorization of the MMPA. A Working 

Group made up of representatives from the 

NMFS Regions and Centers identified issues that 

needed to be addressed and recommended 

amendments that would improve the Service's 

ability to manage and protect marine mammals. 

The Working Group addressed what many consider the most important issue to be resolved ... the 

restriction on taking marine mammals that are 

depleted. A species below its optimum sustainable population (OSP) is considered 

depleted, and the Act prohibits taking these 

species incidentally to commercial fishing operations. If the status of a population cannot be 

determined, that population is treated as if it were 

depleted. 

Since the General Permits that allow a take of 

marine mammals incidentally to commercial fishing expire at the end of 1988, NMFS is preparing 

an environmental impact statement on the issuance of new permits. However, NMFS does not 

have the information it needs to determine the 

status of all marine mammals involved in the 

fishery and some species that are considered 

depleted, such as fur seals, are taken in small numbers in these fsheries. Therefore, NMFS, along 

with the Marine Mammal Commission and a 

cooperative group formed by a coalition of fishing 

industry representatives and conservation groups, 

has been working with the Congress to allow commercial fishing to continue without advserse affects to any population of marine mammal. 

In 1984, the Congress amended the MMPA to extend the General Permit held by the American 

Tunaboat Association and to continue allowing 

up to 20,500 dolphins to be taken incidentally to 

the purse seine fshery for yellowfin tuna in the 

eastern tropical Pacific. This allows the fshery to 

continue, even though some of the dolphin stocks 

maybe depleted, while NMFS undertakes a 5-year 

assessment of the affected dolphin stocks. This 

assessment, which has been underway since 1986, 

will determine whether the stocks of dolphins 

taken by both the foreign and domestic tuna 

fishery are increasing, decreasing, or stable. 

Although the take of dolphins by the U.S. purse 

seine fleet has decreased dramatically, the take by 

foreign fleets has continued to be extremely high. 

Based on amendments made by the Congress to 

address this concern, NMFS published proposed 

regulations in April, 1988, that govern the importation of yellowfin tuna that is caught in association with dolphins. Foreign nations that purse 

seine for tuna in the eastern tropical Pacific and 

wish to export the tuna to the United States must 

prove that they have a comprehensive set of laws 

and regulations designed to protect dolphins. 

The number of marine mammals killed in connection with commercial fisheries was in large 

part responsible for Congress passing legislation 

to protect these species. However, when marine 

mammals come into contact with fshermen and 

damage their gear and the fishery resource itself, 

the MMPA does not specifically address a way to 

resolve this conflict. While the MMPA authorizes 

taking marine mammals for their own protection 

and welfare and for the protection of public health 

and welfare, and the non-lethal removal of 

nuisance animals, it is not clear when these 

provisions apply. The most well-known conflict 

that NMFS is attempting to resolve is the problem 

of sea lions eating a wild run of winter steelhead 

as they attempt to enter the fishway at Lake 

Washington. Although some methods were ef1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 2 
fective at first, none have been completely suc- aquaria, academia, and the environmental comcessful in keeping the sea lions from eating the fish munity. Pathological examinations show that the 

at the ladder. dolphins died from massive bacterial infections, 

but it is not known why the dolphins were vulIn 1986, the MMPA was amended to allow a nerable to these infections. NMFS continues to 

"small incidental taken of depleted marine mam- -investigate this epidemic. The second stranding 

mals for activities other than commercial fishing. 'episode concerned the death of 42 whales in the 

Before this amendment, only non-depleted .vicinity of Cape Cod. NMFS believes that the 

marine mammals could be taken. The first re- ' whales died from biotoxins ingested when they 

quest for a take of depleted species has come from ' were feeding on mackerel which have large 

a group of oil companies requesting a small take ' amounts of the biotoxin in their internal ograns. 

of bowhead and gray whales incidentally to energy exploration activities in the Chukchi and - In June 1988, NMFS designated the Pribilof IsBeaufort Seas. land population of North Pacific fur seals as 

depleted, and it is considering whether to desigOne of the most visible programs authorized by ' nate the northern (Steller) sea lion as depleted. 

theMMPA, the scientific research and public dis- . Other species already designated depleted under 

play permit program, is undergoing an extensive the MMPA include the Hawaiian monk seal, the 

review. After 15 years of operation, NMFS is bowhead whale, spotted dolphin (coastal spotted 

reviewing the policy, criteria and procedures used 'stock) and the spinner dolphin (Eastern spinner 

to evaluate applications and to issue and monitor stock). Marine mammals listed as threatened or 

permits. This review which is being conducted in endangered under the EndangeredSpecies Act of 

consultation with the scientific community, the 1973, are, by definition, depleted species. They are 

public display industry, environmental organiza- the Gulf of California harbor porpoise, blue 

tions and other interested groups should result in whale, bowhead whale, fin whale, gray whale, 

a more eficient program that is more responsive humpback whale, right whale, sei whale, sperm 

to the concerns of applicants and the needs of whale, Caribbean monk seal, Guadalupe fur seal, 

marine mammals. Hawaiian monk seal and Mediterranean monk 

seal. 

NMFS will address another concern at a Whale 

Watching Workshop this fall (1988) in Monterey, The United States participates in international 

Calif. There is a growing whale watching industry progranis that further the protection of marine 

on the East and West Coasts and in Alaska and mammals, and it is an active participant in the InHawaii, and NMFS is concerned about its effects ternational Whaling Commission (IWC). The 

on whale populations. The results of the WC sets the quota for the number of bowhead 

workshop, which is jointly sponsored by NMFS whales that can be taken by Alaska natives for culand the Center for Environmental Education, will tural, traditional and subsistence uses. It also conbe used to assist NMFS in developing a national siders requests for scientific research permits by 

policy and.action plan. its member countries; most requests are from nations that were involved in commercial whaling 

Two unusual stranding episodes that happened before the IWC voted a moratorium on commeralong the East Coast in 1987 tested the strength of cial whaling in 1982. 

NMFS' Regional Stranding Networks. One 

stranding episode involved bottlenose dolphins Enforcement of the MMPA is the responsibility 

from to New Jersey to Georgia. By the end of the of NMFS enforcement agents with the support of 

epidemic, over 740 dolphins were found dead. To several State enforcement officers. Most violainvestigate, NMFS formed the Atlantic Bot- tions involve the unlawful taking, including harasstlenose Dolphin Response Team which included ment, of marine mammals. Next is the unlawful 

members of loca1,State and Federal Government importation of marine mammal parts and 

agencies as well as those from local marine products. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 3 
REAUTHORIZATION OF THE MMPA 

T he U.S. Congress held hearings in April and 

May of 1988 to consider reauthorization of the 

MMPA. Much of the testimony presented by 

NMFS was based on a report of the NMFS Working Group on Reauthorization. 

The Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Fisheries , NOAA, testified, "We have made significant progress, but there are still a number of 

challenges in meeting the objectives of the Act. 

There are increasing numbers of interactions between marine mammal populations and human 

activities. These interactions are having serious 

effects on people, marine mammals and other 

marine rkurces. Marine mammals are beii entangled in fishing gear, injured in collisions with 

boats, and sometimes illegally killed. People and 

businesses are being affected by damage to fishing gear and reductions of catch of fisheries 

resources. To give you an idea of how large the 

problem is, incidental taking associated with 

fisheries in U.S. waters involves over U3 species 

and 10,000 marine mammals. It is becoming more 

and more dficult to manage the taking of these 

marine mammals so as to allow the 3-billion pound 

American fisheries to continue. Our greatest 

challenge is to develop effective management 

strategies to deal with these interactions while 

keeping adverse effects on both the marine mammals and marine user groups to a minimum." 

The most critical issue addressed at the hearings 

was the restriction on taking species determined 

to be depleted. A species below its optimum sustainable population (OSP) is considered 

depleted, and the Act prohibits taking these 

species incidental to commercial fishing operations. Further, if a population's status relative to 

OSP cannot be determined, it is treated as if it 

were depleted. 

Under the current definition and interpretation 

of OSP, determining the status of populations 

relative to their OSP is difficult and expensive. 

Because of this, OSP determinations have been 

made for only a few species. Of several options 

considered, the working group recommended 

that NMFS propose an amendment to the MMPA 

to allow a limited take of depleted species incidental to commercial fshing if the taking occurs at a 

level that allows for population growth and if mortality rates and trends in abundance are 

monitored. The extent of the management 

program required would be based on the level of 

take and the status of the species involved. 

However, the fishing industry and the conservation community, recognizing the seriousness of 

the problem, formed a working group to develop 

a solution that could be supported by all parties. 

This group developed a proposal that would allow 

commercial fisheries to continue under a 3-year 

limited exemption while providing documentation 

on the nature and extent of interactions between 

commercial fishing and marine mammals. 

NMFS testified that such cooperative efforts between government, industry and the conservation 

community are the best way to reach reasonable 

resolutions to these problems. The Congress is 

considering amendments to the MMPA to address commerical fishing incidental take 

problems. 

Another issue is the problem of removing marine 

mammals, usually seals or sea lions, that interfere 

or in some way come into conflict with other 

marine resources. For example, a number of 

California sea lions position themselves in an area 

where migrating salmon gather in Puget Sound 

before entering a fish ladder to Lake Washington. 

These few sea lions have almost decimated a 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 4 
depleted run of steelhead trout. Efforts to al- The NMFS Working Group believed that many 

leviate this problem have failed. However, other issues identified in the report can be adNMFS, the fishing industry and the conservation dressed without amendments. For example, 

community are working together to determine problems with the Regional Stranding Network or 

what, if any, additional authorities are needed to withdefinitions of termssuch as "harassmentn and 

deal adequately with nuisance animals. "take" may be resolved by NMFS reviewing its current activities or interpretations and possibly issuing guidelines or regulations for clarification. 

19W Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 5 
MARINE MAMMALS AND COMMERCIAL 

FISHING 

General Permits 

D omestic. Under the MMPA, marine mammals are allowed to be taken incidentally to 

commercial fishing operations. This take of 

animals is governed by guidelines, regulations, 

monitoring, and reporting. General Permits that 

allow a take are issued to domestic and foreign 

commercial fishing associations. 

The nine general permits that NMFS has issued 

to domestic fishing groups will expire at the end 

of 1988. Before NMFS can consider applications 

to renew these permits, it must determine the 

status of each species to be taken and determine 

the impact of the proposed level of take on each 

speci-es. 

To make these determinations, NMFS is preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 

(DEIS) on the Interactions Between Marine 

Mammals and Commercial Fisheries within the 

U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. Scoping meetings have been held in San Francisco, Calif. and 

Washington, D.C. NMFS will report on the status 

of marine mammals taken incidentally in commercial fisheries and publish a Final Environmental 

Impact Statement by December 1988. 

Small Take Exem~tions. A 1981 amendment to 

the MMPA allows an incidental, but not intentional, taking of small numbers of nondepleted species 

or stocks of marine mammals by U.S. citizens 

engaged in commercial fishing operations. This 

exemption to the general permit requirements of 

the Act can be granted only if the total taking will 

have a negligible impact on the species or stocks 

involved and if a system to monitor and report any 

taking has been established among the fshermen 

involved. An OSP determination does not have to 

be made for the marine mammals that are taken 

under this "small take" exemption. These exemptions apply only to domestic fishing operations. 

Exemptions have been granted for a small take 

of marine mammals to the National Fish Meal and 

Oil Association, which includes owners and 

operators of U.S. menhaden vessels in the Atlantic Ocean, and to New England Goundfish 

GiUnet ters. 

Incidental Take Of Marine 

Mammals In East Coast 

Joint-venture Fishery 

Foreipn. General permits are issued to foreign An unsually high number (179) of marine mamfishing associations or embassies whose govern- mals were taken incidentally to the 1988 East 

ments have a governing international fishery Coast joint-venture fishery for mackeral. Four 

agreement (GIFA) with the United States allow- species of marine mammals were taken: 141 coming them to fish in the U.S. exclusive economic mon dolphins, 28 pilot whales, 8 white-sided dolzone (EEZ). Table I in the Appendix lists phins and 2 bottlenose dolphins. None of the 

countries with permits. countries involved (East Germany, Poland, the 

Netherlands and the United States) had General 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 6 
Permits that would allow an incidental take of 

marine mammals. The first marine mammal was 

taken December 25, 1987, and the last May 4, 

1988. On May 3 and 4,1988, the Northeast Region 

sent notices explaining the penalties of catching 

marine mammals without permits. However, both 

the Netherlands and Polish vessels left the EEZ 

before receiving the notifications and the East 

Germans left a few days after being notified. 

NMFS observers were on aboard all foreign vessels throughout the season and reported the violations. NMFS did not issue incidental take permits 

for 1988 because NMFS believes that it is not 

authorized to issue a permit allowing the capture 

of any marine mammal if the agency knows that 

the permitted activity involves the taking of other 

species of marine mammals for which a permit 

cannot be issued. The agency views this as any 

marine mammal for which an OSP statement has 

not been made. The United States was responsible for 4 percent of the take, East Germany - 23 

percent, the Netherlands31 percent and Poland42 percent. 

Incidental Take of Porpoise in the 

Yellowfin Tuna Fisherv 

Although considerable progress has been made 

in reducing the number of porpoise killed each 

year in the purse-seine fishery for yellowfin tuna 

in the eastern tropical Pacific, NMFS continues to 

commit its resources to reduce further this incidental take of marine mammals. In 1987, the estimated mortality of porpoise in the U.S. yellowfin 

tuna f6hery was 13,992. 

Congress amended the MMPA in 1984 to extend 

the general permit held by the American 

Tunaboat Association and to continue the quota 

on the taking of porpoise of 20,500 per year in the 

eastern tropical pacific (ETP). This allows the 

U.S. tuna fleet to continue fishing for yellowfin 

tuna in association with dolphin stocks even 

though some of these stocks may be depleted. The 

1984 amendments also require NMFS to undertake a 5-year assessment of the affected porpoise 

stocks. This assessment has been underway since 

1986. Besides using data collected on research 

vessels, NMFS is developing methods to use information collected by observers on tuna vessek to 

monitor changes in the relative abundance of the 

stocks. In 1992, NMFS will determine whether the 

stocks of porpoise affected by the multinational 

tuna fshery are increasing, decreasing, or stable. 

Table 1. Incidental Take Levels from 

1983-1987 (Kill per ton) 

Mimagement. NMFS places observers aboard 

tuna seiners to collect scientific data and to 

monitor the incidental take of porpoises and 

methods used by the fishermen to avoid a take. 

To validate NMFS's mortality estimation 

methodology, observers were placed on board 

nearly 100 percent (123 cruises) of the 1987 fishing trips that involved U.S. purse seiners. This was 

the greatest number of cruises observed in the history of the program; 44 were sponsored through 

the dolphidtuna research program of the InterAmerican Tropical Tuna Commission (IA'ITC) 

and 79 were sponsored by NMFS. 

Tuna seiner operator's workshops were held for 

eight skippers in 1987. Certificates of Inclusion 

were issued to 74 operators and 34 vessel owners. 

Net and gear inspections to ensure the presence 

of required porpoise safety gear were completed 

for three vessels that were in port. Additionally, 

observers conducted 78 preliminary gear inspections at sea. 

Research. NMFS' monitoring program uses 

data collected by obseroers on research vessels 

and U.S. tuna vessels. Surveys have been designed 

to detect an annual change in relative d~undance 

as small as 10 percent per year for spotted dol1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 7 
phins. The experimental design involves two ves- photographed, and about one-third of these apsek transecting the study area for 120 days each pear suitable for calibrating shipboard estimates 

year for a minimum of 5 years (6 surveys). In 1986, of school size. In addition to school size estimathe fust survey was completed by two NOAA re- tion, some of the better images can be used to obsearch vessels, the Duvid StmJordon and the Me- tain length measurements. By knowing the length 

Arthur, serving as sighting platforms for observers distribution of a large sample, it may be possible 

from late July through early December. A data to measure the recruitment rate of young animals 

report for each vessel, which summarizes effort into the population. 

and sighting completed during the cruise, is available from the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Center, In addition, scientists collected information on 

P.O. Box 271, La Jolla, CA 92038. the physical and biological enviro~lent of these 

animals. The physical oceanography of the area 

A report covering abundance estimates of all is being investigated jointly with scientists from 

stocks and species will be available for review in NOAA's Eastern Pacific Ocean-Climate Studies 

September 1988. Because the northern offshore program. The oceanographic data are being used 

spotted dolphin is the stock most affected by the to monitor the patterns and variability of the 

fshery, only abundance estimates for that stock habitat and to interpret the observed dolphin disare presented for several data treatment options tributions and trends in the dolphin populations. 

in this report. The estimates of population size for 

northern offshore spotted dolphins, using one op- Also, NMFS is developing methods to use infortion, were 1,543,000 and 891,500 animals for data mation collected by observers on tuna vessels to 

incorporating dolphin schools of all sizes and for monitor changes in the relative abundance of ETP 

data using only dolphin schools containing at least dolphins. This approach uses dolphin sightings 

lSanimals(hereafterreferred toaslargeschools), and life history data along with ship operations 

respectively. The large difference between the data which are collected by observers. Because it 

two estimates was because the estimate of school is not possible to control the sampling regime of 

density for all schools was 7.13 schools/1000 km2 the tuna vessels, assumptions and techniques apversus 2.76 schools/1000 km2 for large schools. plicable in standard data analyses may not be 

suitable for data collected by tuna vessel obFrom late July through early December, 1987, servers. 

NMFS completed the second survey. The same 

vessels were used to traverse similar tracklines. Since 1%8, scientific observers aboard tuna vesDuring the survey, 1,240 marine mammal schools sels have collected information on the biology of 

consisting of approximately 54,859 animals were the dolphins killed incidental to fishing. Informadetected. Of these, !XXi were dolphin schools. tion includes length, sex, age, and reproductive 

This year a helicopter was added to the NOAA condition. Teeth are collected for ageing and, if 

ship David Stam Jordon to obtain aerial current studies develop, for providing a history of 

photographsof schools sighted during the dolphin past environmental stress. Gonadal tissues are 

monitoring cruises. Aerial photographs are being collected to determine reproductive parameters. 

used to calibrate estimates of school size that are Understanding gained from analyses of these data 

made by the usual teams of shipboard observers. help to determine the reproductive capacity of imCounts made for a series of overlapping pacted dolphin populations as well as to identdy 

photographsgive a much more precise estimate of potential compensatory mechanisms operating to 

school size than can be made from the deck of a maintain optimal size. 

rolling ship. 

Because there is more than one population (or 

Imagery collected from this fust year has already stock) of each affected species in the ETP, it is 

demonstrated the advantage of this approach. necessary to determine the impact of the fishery 

Despite bad weather, more than 100 schools of on specific dolphin populations. Therefore, suffidolphins and other small cetaceans were cient data must be collected to examine how the 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 8 
various life history parameters may change between areas and over time. Areas wilt be defined 

by fishing effort in order to investigate the effects 

of chase and capture on reproductive and other 

life history parameters. 

Using the log book data of the U.S. and international tuna fleets from 1959 through 1985, the 

growth and expansion of the fishery is being examined by investigating the number of sets per 

one-degree square. Kill-per-set is also being examined as a potential index of fuhing pressure. 

Preliminary evidence suggests there are changes 

in various biological factors from the eastern 

tropical Pacific that can be correlated with changes in fshing pressure. 

gear must be comparable to those of the U.S. In 

addition, each nation must submit observer data 

collected on porpoise mortality. Starting next 

year (1989), annual mortality rates must show significant improvement to remain "comparable". 

This improving trend in mortality must continue 

and by 1991 must be no greater than 25 percent 

above the U.S. rate for nations with large fleets or 

75 percent for nations with smaller ones. 

Incidental Take of Dall's Porpoise 

in the Japanese Salmon Gillnet 

Fisherv 

Factors being considered to evaluate the 

relationship between f~hing pressure and its concomitant stress and other reproductive and 

growth rate parameters include body condition, 

annual pregnancy rate, lactation period, calving 

interval, age at sexual maturation, and periodic 

episodes of calcium resorption recorded in dental 

layers. Work is also underway to examine interchange between stocks of spinner dolphins. 

Imporb'ng Yellowfin Tuna 

Due to concern over porpoise mortality in the 

foreign fishery for yellowfi tuna, the Congress 

amended the MMPA and required NMFS to publish regulations governing the import of yellowfin 

tuna. These proposed regulations which were 

published in April 1988 provide for an observer 

program to monitor and report porpoise mortality, an annual certification program to assure 

compliance with U.S. requirements in order to 

continue exporting tuna to US. markets, and a 

comparability test that distinguishes variability in 

performance between small and large fleets of 

foreign nations. 

Dall's porpoise are taken incidentally in the 

Japanese salmon gillnet fishery within and outside 

of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in 

the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. Until 

1987, the fishery was allowed to take up to 5,500 

porpoise each year. In 1987, NMFS issued Japan 

a new general permit that allowed a taking of 

about 6,000 Dall's porpoise during a 3-year period 

based on a determination that the stocks would 

not be disadvantaged. The 1987 fishing season 

was completed before a Court-ordered injunction 

concerning the new permit went into effect. 

Based on a recent Court decision (See Legal Section), the Dall's porpoise permit has been ruled 

invalid since species that are not at OSP, such as 

the fur seal, would also be taken. 

Research. NMFS studies the Dall's porpoise to 

determine the incidental take of marine mammals 

by Japanese salmon mothership and high seas 

squid driftnet fisheries, collects biological 

specimens from marine mammals incidentally 

taken collects sighting data, and conducts behavioral studies. 

Specifically, foreign nations purse seining in the Incidental The U.S. monitoring program 

ETP and wishing to export yellowfin tuna to the was modified to improve the accuracy of the esU.S. must prove that they have a comprehensive timates of incidental take of Dall's porpoise in the 

set of laws and regulations designed to protect EEZ with six observers in each of three motherporpoise. Their regulations and porpoise saving ship fleets. A total of 303 gillnet sets (11 percent) 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 9 
were monitored between June 12 and July 12. The 

estimated take inside the U.S. EEZ was741 Dall's 

porpoise. In addition, 43 Dall's porpoise were 

taken south of the EEZ and 82 north of the 

Aleutians in the Bering Sea. The take rate was 

smaller than in previous years. One northern fur 

seal was taken and released alive and 8 were 

momentarily caught near the fshing vessels and 

released. One dead harbor porpoise was 

returned to the mothership. 

Modified gillnets incorporating 3 strands of hollow tubes or multifilament material were used by 

the fshery. Observer data did not show a sig- 

&cant difference in take rates for the two types 

of gear. 

Four cooperative research cruises on foreign 

vessels were conducted in the squid fishing area 

during the 1986 and 1987 fishing season. During 

the 1986 cruises, 1,485 km of met were fished 

(equivalent to 99 salmon gillnet sets) and 9 Dall's 

porpoise (take rate of 0.09 porpoise per 15 km of 

salmon commercial gillnet), 16 northern fur seals 

(0.16 seals per 15 km), 8 Pacific white-sided dolphins (0.08 per 15 km) and 43 northern right whale 

dolphins (0.43 per 15 km) and 1 striped dolphin 

were taken incidentally. 

v: .. . Samples were 

collected from 348 Dall's porpoise incidentally 

taken by the Japanese salmon mothership fleets. 

Additional samples were collected on research 

vessels and from stranded animals off 

Washington. .The reproductive samples have 

been examined and a report is being prepared for 

the International North Pacific F~heries Commission. 

. . -of Data were collected 

from Japanese salmon catcherboats and research 

vessels and U.S., Korean and Taiwanese research 

vessels. Sighting data of marine mammals in the 

high-seas squid driftnet fishing area were collected from the NOAA ship RIV Miller Freeman 

in October. Dall's porpoise and northern fur seals 

were the most frequently sighted marine mammals. Marine bud and debris sightings data were 

also collected. In addition, oceanographic and 

prey resource data were collected to relate marine 

mammal distribution to oceanographic conditions 

and prey abundance. 

Behavioral Behavior and movements of 

Dall's porpoise were monitored year round in 

Puget Sound, Wash. Sightings were most abundant in June when recently born calves were 

present. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 10 
MARINE MAMMALS AND THE FISHERY 

RESOURCE 

A n increase in the numbers of marine mammals, 

primarily seals and sea lions on the West 

Coast, has resulted in more cases of marine mammals coming into contact with fishermen, their 

gear, and the fishery resource itself. At times, this 

has resulted in significant losses of these resources and in adverse effects on catches of fish and 

fishing gear. On the other hand, marine mammals 

are killed, injured or harassed during some ftshing operations. 

The MMPA authorizes taking marine mammals 

for their own protection and welfare and for the 

protection of public health and welfare, and the 

non-lethal removal of nuisance animals. These 

authorities have been used as the basis for operation of the Regional Marine Mammal Stranding 

Networks and the removal of "nuisance" animals 

at fshways. However, it is not clear when the 

"nuisance" and "protection of public health and 

welfare" provisions apply. 

In commercial fishery situations, other 

authorizations (Certscates of Inclusion) apply. 

A commerical fsherman with a Certificate of Inclusion can harass an animal when it is directly interacting with his gear or catch, but he cannot 

chase an animal out of the area to preclude further conflicts. However, since general permits do 

not apply to recreational f~heries, a sport fsherman cannot harass an animal that is stealing or attempting to steal his catch. 

The following regional examples document 

these interactions as well as the steps NMFS is 

taking to resolve this issue. 

PACIFIC NORTHWEST 

One of the most well. known conflicts is the 

"Herschel Problemn at the Hiram M. Chittenden 

Locks in Seattle where a small number of California sea lions are taking a wild run of winter steelhead as the fish attempt to enter the fshway into 

Lake Washington. For three years, an inter-agency group that includes NMFS, the Washington 

Department of Wildlife, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Muckleshot and Suquamish Indian Tribes has tried to resolve the problem using 

non-lethal methods of harassment. Although initially effective, overall these methods have not 

been completely successful. Other unsu-ful 

efforts have included conditioning the sea lions to 

avoid steelhead by applying taste aversion techniques and attempting to capture and transport the 

animals back to their breeding range off southern 

California. Although over 1,000 California sea 

lions occur in Puget Sound, the "Herschel 

Problem" currently involves about 12 animals that 

repeatedly return to prey on steelhead in spite of 

harassment. Earlier this year, an experimental, 

temporary, net barrier was installed in the spillway 

area at the Locks to assess the feasibility of a "sea 

lion barrier" as a partial solution to the problem. 

Fishery conflicts with pinnipeds have been 

reported from all of the Northwest fisheries. 

There are increasing problems in all salmonid 

fsheries resulting in damage or loss of catch and 

gear, loss of fishing time, and in some cases, the 

need to modify normal fshing procedures where 

pinnjpeds are present. This conflict is most severe 

in the salmonid net fsheries. Marine mammalfisheries interactions were documented in 62 percent of the salmon gillnet fishing trips sampled in 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 11 
the Columbia River in the early 80's. Pinniped in- being stripped off as the lines were retrieved). In 

teractions resulted in gear damage, f~h loss or retaliation, fishermen began shooting at the 

damage, and incidental takes in 36 percent of all whales and using large explosive charges to drive 

of the fishing trips sampled. them away. In response, NMFS modified the 

fdermen's general permits and did not allow 

CALIFORNIA them to use explosives other than seal bombs or 

cracker shells. 

To assess this conflict in California, NMFS has 

awarded funds to the California Department of During 1985 and 1986, several whales with bulFish and Game since 1979 to investigate interac- let wounds were sighted in Prince William Sound. 

tions between marine mammals and fshing opera- All appeared to belong to a single large resident 

tions. pod of about 30 individuals. Although no dead 

animals were found, the number of animals 

The Southwest Region recently published a reported missing from this pod were much higher 

report of the State's estimates of the incidental than usually found in killer whale pods in the 

mortality of harbor porpoise in fisheries using set Sound (3 in 1985, 3 in 1986, and 1 in 1987). 

nets and of all marine mammals in fsheries using However, in 1987, no missing or injured killer 

drift nets. Reports will soon be available on the whales were reported and complaints by fisherincidental take of harbor porpoise, harbor seals, men diminished. The reason for this change is not 

and California sea lions in the sharWswordfish known although NMFS has received reports indrift gill-net fishery and all other gillnet fsheries. dicating that fishermen may have tried a variety of 

Current research includes observing the inciden- non-lethal methods to avoid or to dissuade the 

tal take in several gill net fisheries and determin- whales. However, problems are continuing in the 

ing fishing areas and levels of fishing effects. Bering Sea, and it is the main target for current research and monitoring efforts. 

Marine mammals, especially California sea 

lions, interact frequently with sport fisheries. In NORTHEAST 

response to a petition, NMFS issued regulations 

that authorize commercial passenger fishing ves- NMFS has received complaints about harbor 

sels to harass marine mammals interacting with seals eating and damaging salmon in the estuaries 

their passenger's catch. In June, 1986, NMFS is- along the Northeast Coast. There is concern that 

sued a General Permit to the Sportfshing Assoca- any additional loss of adult salmon from seal 

tion of California authorizing use of various predation will jeopardize salmon restoration efdevices for the non-lethal, non-injurious harass- forts. 

ment of California sea lions in waters south of 

Piedras Blancas, California. In 1987, the SWR In East Coast offshore fleet-fshing operations, 

reviewedthecertificationprogramandconcluded foreign fishery compliance inspectors are 

that due to the low number of reported interac- monitoring and recording all incidental takes of 

tions it was not possible to evaluate the effec- marine mammals. Pilot whales and common doltivenes of the recently developed mechanisms. phins are the principal species taken in the AtlanSince the program does not appear to affect sea tic mackerel and squid fisheries (See Section on 

lions adversely, NMFS will continue the program Incidental Take of Marine Mammals in East 

through 1988 to provide additional time to assess Coast Joint-Venture Fishery). When feasible, all 

its effectiveness. incidentally taken non-endangered animals are 

frozen for processing by the Smithsonian InstituALASKA tion. These specimens are providing new information on the food habits, morphometrics, 

In 1985, longline fishermen for blackcod reproductivebiology, physiologyand parasitology 

(sablefish) in Prince William Sound began report- of offhsore cetaceans. 

ing large losses to killer whales (the fish were 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 12 
SUBSISTENCE TAKE OF MARINE MAMMALS 

Table 2. Annual Quotas and Catch of 

Bowhead Whales in the Beaufort Bowhead Whales 1978-1988 

and Chukchi Seas 

A lthough bowhead whales are listed as an endangered species, Alaska natives are dowed 

to hunt them for subsistence purposes. Catch 

limits for the hunt are set by the International 

Whaling Commission and regulations for 

management of the harvest are implemented 

under the Whaling Convention Act of 1949. Both 

the MMPA and the Endangered Species Act 

provide for a subsistence take of endangered and 

depleted species by Alaska natives. 

Quotas were first set for this population in 1978. 

Since 1982, a landed whale counts against the 

strike quota. Hunting is to cease when the quota 

The quota for 1987 was 32 strikes. Twenty-two of total strikes, including landed whales is 

of the animals struck were landed and 9 were lost. reached. 

At the 39th IWC meeting, it was agreed by consensus that there would be a strike limit of 35 Based on IWC quotas, totals for 1981, 1982, 

animals in 1988. 1983 combined could not exceed 45 landed or 65 

struck. 

NMFS is the Federal agency with primary 

responsibility for bowhead whales, but several 

other agencies including the State of Alaska, the 

Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, the North 

Slope Borough and the Minerals Management 

Service are involved. Each year, NMFS' Alaska 

Region staff participates in monitoring the fall 

A two-year quota (for 1984-85) not to exceed 

43 strikes was put into effect at July 1983 WC 

meeting. A domestic limit of 27 strikes was set for 

1984 consistent with the IWC decision. Of these, 

25 strikes were used in 1987 allowing a possible 

total of 18 strikes in 1985. 

bowhead migration as the animals pa& through 

areas of oil activity in the Beaufort Sea. Studies of The strike limit for 1986 (set at the IWC meetpopulation size and recruitment, seasonal dis- ing in 1985) was 26 strikes; however, those strikes 

tribution and migration, and behavior relative to not used in 1985 could be added to the 1986 limit 

the availability of food or human disturbance, are 

so long as the total number of strikes did not excarried out by NMFS and the North Slope ceed 32. Because the total number of whales 

Borough, a group representing Alaska natives. which could be struck in 1985 was raised from 18 

to 26 at the 1985 IWC meeting, and because only 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 13 
to 26 at the 1985 WC meeting, and because only 

17 whales were struck in 1985, the full 32 strikes 

were available in 1986. 

Northern Fur Seals on the PribSlof 

Islands 

NMFS issued final regulations in 1986 that 

govern the subsistence harvesting of fur seals by 

residents of the Pribiiof Islands in Alaska. Before 

the commercial harvest of fur seals ended in 1984, 

residents kept a certain portion of the commercial 

take for their own dietary requirements. In 1987 

on St. Paul Island, 1,710 fur seals were taken for 

subsistence; most were 2 to 3 years old. On St. 

George Island, 92 fur seals were taken. Each year, 

season, sex and age limits are set to protect the 

seal herd, and estimated harvest ranges are reconsidered. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 14 
REQUEST FOR A SMALL TAKE OF BOWHEAD 

AND GRAY WHALES 

N MFS has received a "small take" request from 

Amoco Production Co. Inc., Chevron U.SA., 

Inc., Exxon Co. U.S.A., Shell Western E&P, Inc., 

Unocal Corp., and Western Geophysical Co. of 

America. The taking is described as incidental 

and unintentional harassment of bowhead and 

gray whales during pre-lease and post-lease exploration for oil and gas resources in Alaska State 

Waters and on the Outer Continental Shelf of the 

Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. Activities likely to be 

undertaken include geological and geophysical 

surveys, drilling of stratigraphic test wells, exploratory drilling for oil and gas, and associated 

support activities. Potential sources of incidental 

taking are noise, unpermitted discharge (oil spills) 

and physical obstruction. The request does not 

concern activities involved in the development or 

production of offshore oil and gas fields. Also, the 

spring lead system through which bowhead whales 

migrate from mid-April to early June in the Chukchi Sea and the Beaufort Sea to Point Barrow is 

excluded from the scope of the petition. The requested period of the regulations is for five years. 

When a request is made for an incidental take of 

depleted marine mammals, the requirements of 

both the MMPA ad the ESA must be met. The 

activities included in the petition (with the exception of pre-lease geophysical exploration) were 

recently addressed by NMFS in biological 

opinions concerning Outer Continental Shelf 

lease sales 97 and 109. 

Section 101(a)(5) of the MMPA directs the 

Secretary of Commerce or the Interior to allow, 

on request, the incidental, but not intentional, 

taking of small numbers of marine mammals by 

U.S. citizens who engage in a specified activity 

(other than commercial fshing) within a specified 

geographical region. This permission may be 

granted for periods of 5 years or less if the 

Secretary finds that the total taking will have a 

"negligible impactkn the species or stock and will 

not have an "u-tigable adverse impact" on the 

availability of species or stock for subsistence 

uses. Each activity requires separate, specific 

regulations ... a process that takes about one year 

from the time the authorization is requested. This 

is the first request for a take of depleted species 

under the 1986 amendments. Prior to this amendment, only non-depleted animals could be taken. 

Proposed procedural regulations were published 

in the Federal Register on March 15,1988. 

Since 1982, NMFS has granted exemptions for a 

"small take" of ringed seals incidental to seismic 

exploration on the ice in the Beaufort Sea and to 

the Air Force for a take of seals and sea lions incidental to launchings of the space shuttle over the 

Northern Channel Islands from Vandenburg Air 

Force Base, California. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 15 
PERMITS FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY AND 

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 

U nder the MMPA, NMFS issues permits for 

taking or importing marine mammals for 

scientific research or public display. NMFS 

reviews and decides whether to issue the requested permits, and monitors them as long as 

animals are maintained under the authority of a 

permit. Currently, NMFS is monitoring 635 per- 

,mits for scientific research and public display. 

During the past year, NMFS considered 69 applications for permits; 64 involved marine mammals. Of these, 19 permits have been issued for 

scientific research and 14 for public display. One 

permit was denied, 13 applications were returned 

or withdrawn and 17 applications are pending 

final action. 

NMFS also processes requests for permit 

modilications or authorizations of activities under 

permits. During the past year, 96 permit 

modification/authorization requests were 

processed; 92 were for activities involving 74 

marine mammal permits. NMFS has issued 35 

modifications and 44 authorizations; 8 requests 

were not granted or withdrawn, and 5 are pending 

final action. 

See Tables 2 through 9 in the Appendix for an 

overview of the permit program during the past 

year. 

tal organizations and other interested parties. 

Regulatory and policy changes resulting from this 

review should make the program more efficient 

and more responsive to applicants' concerns as 

well as the needs of marine mammals. 

The review has five objectives: 

Clarify andlor confirm general policies that 

should govern the overall direction of the program 

pursuant to the Acts; 

Develop permit issuance criteria and procedures that are clearly formulated, consistent, and 

more responsive to applicant needs and concerns; 

Determine the circumstances under which the 

National Environmental Policy Act applies to the 

permit program; 

Identify administrative procedures that result in 

a more streamlined and efficient process; and 

Recommend changes to existing regulations 

necessary to accommodate these improvements. 

The Service is undertaking the review of its permit program in four phases: 

PHASE 1: Issue analysis and initial discussion 

paper 

Permit Promam Review. The permit program PHASE 2: Federal Register notice and informal 

has been operating for about 15 years, and NMFS public consultation on issues and alternative solubelieves it is time to review the policy, criteria and tions 

procedures used to evaluate applications and to 

issue and monitor permits. This review is being PHASE 3: Appointment of an independent 

conducted in consultation with the scientific com- Review Group and revised discussion paper 

munity, the public display industry, environmen1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 16 
PHASE 4: Public meetings and final recommendations 

While the timing of the review has to remain 

flexible to allow for full public involvement, the 

Service anticipates completing PHASE 3 by 

December 1988 and initiating formal hearings by 

Spring 1989. 

. - 

-. In April 1988, NMFS 

held two public hearings (Washington, D.C. and 

Islamorada, Florida) concerning humanldolphin 

swim programs. NMFS began issuing authorizations to conduct humaddolphin swim programs 

in 1985 under public display permits. NMFS has 

considered the programs experimental untl sufficient information can be obtained to assess the effects of the programs on the health and well-being 

of the animals. Questions have also arisen on 

whether these programs constitute public display 

as envisioned by the Act. Concern for human 

safety and liability have also been considered. 

The hearings were held to ensure that all interested parties had the opportunity to comment on 

the issuance of authorizations for the conduct of 

these swim programs. NMFS has not made a 

decision on whether to continue authorizing these 

programs. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 17 
WHALE WATCHING WORKSHOP 

S ince the late 1970's, NMFS has been concerned that marine mammals, especially the 

great whales, may be adversely affected by activities associated with whale watching. In 

November 1987, NMFS issued interim rules 

regulating the approach of humpback whales in 

Hawaiian waters. Previous guidelines addressing 

whale watching in Hawaiian waters were not effective in preventing harassment of these whales. 

NMFS will sponsor a whale watching workshop 

in November 1988 to bring together members of 

the scientific community, the environmental community, and industry to review information and 

determine the effects of whale watching and how 

adverse effects can be kept to a minimum. The 

results will be used to develop a national policy 

and action plan. 

In addition to Hawaii, we are aware of whale 

watching activities along the West Coast of the 

United States during gray whale migrations; in 

Alaska during the summer tourist season; in the 

summertime in the Northeast especially around 

Cape Cod and the Gulf of Maine; and in the Carribean where humpback whales gather during the 

winter months. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 18 
STRANDINGS OF MARINE MAMMALS 

11 five NMFS Regions operate marine mam- k. a1 stranding networks made up of individuals and organizations that have volunteered 

to cooperate with NMFS to collect scientific 

specimen materials, record stranding events with 

the Regional Coordinator, and assist local and 

Federal authorities in removing stranded animals. 

The Networks have provided an effective 

framework for handling stranded animals, conducting scientific research, and informing the 

public. 

Stranding Workshop 

NMFS along with Sea World Research Institute 

and Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida, 

sponsored the second Marine Mammal Stranding 

Workshop in December 1987 to discuss what the 

Networks have done well, what they could do better, what type of research should be emphasized 

and what -&ding requirements are needed for 

network activities. The following recommendations were made by the participants: 

Communication and public education should be 

enhanced; data should be collected as accurately 

and completely as possible using standardized 

data forms; mechanisms to assess performance 

and to ensure quality control should be 

developed; a tissue bank for marine mammal 

specimens should be established, archived, and 

advertised among scientists who might use such 

specimens for research; and individuals should be 

Dolphin and Whale Strandings on 

the East Coast 

Two unusual stranding episodes recently occurred along the U.S. Atlantic Coast. The first, 

involving bottlenose dolphins, started in July 1987 

along the coasts of New Jersey, Delaware, 

Maryland, and Virginia. During the fall, as the 

dolphin population migrated south for the winter, 

larger than normal numbers of strandings occurred along the coasts of the Carolinas and Georgia. Strandings occurred at a much higher rate 

than normal during December through March 

along northeastern and central ~lorida, while 

decreasing to the north. The high rate of strandings did not occur further south than central 

Florida, and, since April 1988, the stranding rate 

has been close to normal. A loss of 742 dolphins 

has been documented. 

NMFS formed the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphh 

Response Team to investigate these unprecendented deaths. Pathological examinations have 

shown that the dolphins died from massive bacterial infections. These bacteria normally are 

found in these dolphins and it is questionable 

whether the animals would have been vulnerable 

to these infections unless they had been affected 

by disease, toxins, stress, or other factors which 

weaken the immune system. Although viruses 

have been isolated from dead dolphins, it is not 

known if these caused the epidemic. 

responsible, ethical and courteous in their use of 

stranding data. Also, guidelines should be The second stranding episode primarily condeveloped to suggest to whom stranding data cerned humpback whales in the vicinity of Cape 

"belongn. Cod. Beginning in late November 1987 and ending in early February 1988, a total of 21 whales 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 19 
died including 15 humpbacks, 4 minkes and 2 fm. 

We believe that the whales died from biotoxins ingested when feeding on large amounts of mackerel. The. source of the biotoxin, which 

concentrates in the internal organs of fish, is unknown. 

In dealing with each of these incidents, NMFS 

cooperated with the Marine Mammal Commission, the Srnithsonian Institution and other locd, 

State and Federal agencies in establishing investigative response teams. The efforts of local 

marine aquaria, academia, and the environmental 

community helped NMFS respond effectively to 

these emergencies. 

Regional Networks 

each stranding and submit these forms to Dr. 

Daniel K Odell, Sea World Research Institute 

(volunteer Scientific Coordinator for the network) for data entry. Summaries of stranding are 

published on a quarterly basis. 

Califoroia. With the closing of the Marineland 

pinniped rehabilitation center in March 1987, 

SWR personnel monitored the transfer of these 

animals to Sea World and coordinated the 

development of interim procedures to accommodate animals stranded in the Los Angeles area. 

The Region has been working closelywith the representatives of the owners of Sea World (Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, Inc.), the City of Los 

Angeles, and the Los Angeles Unified School District to establish both a temporary and a permanent new treatment center for the greater Los 

Angeles area. 

Northeast This network investigated the deaths In 1987,346 pinnipeds, 67 cetaceans (Table 3), 

of the humpback, fin and minke whales that came and 3 marine turtles were reported to have 

ashore in the Cape Cod area. Tissue samples, stranded on the California coast. A report 

stomach contents and fluids were collected for presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society 

analysis. Several cooperating laboratories from for Marine Mammology outlined preliminary 

NMFS, the State of Massachusetts, U.S. Depart- finding concerning the fate of pinnipeds released 

merit of Agriculture, and the Virginia Medical from California treatment centers. This report 

Center performed chemical toxicity, biotoxin, and found that it is unlikely that treated and released 

virology tests. In addition, experts in the fields of seals and sea lions are contributing to a 

biotoxin and shellfish poisoning assisted. Samples measurable increase in marine mammallfshery 

of mackerel landed at New England ports were interactions. 

collected for analysis by the Northeast Fisheries 

Center. Test results indicated the presence of as Hawaii. Six cetaceans were reported to the 

yet unidentified biotoxins in the liver of mackerel. Hawaii Stranding Network in 1987. They inFurther testing on the continued presence of cluded one rough-toothed dolphin, one spotted 

biotoxin in mackerel and other species is beiig dolphin, two humpback whales, one dwarf sperm 

conducted. whale, and one spinner dolphin. The number of 

stranding in 1987 was down from the previous 

Southeast. This network assisted in investigat- year's number (11) and was perhaps more repreing the deaths of bottlenose dolphins along the sentative of an "average" year for stranding inciEast Coast. Since stranding cooperators could dents. 

not handle the numbers of beached dolphins, 

NMFS' Southeast Fisheries Center established a Northwest. The Northwest Marine Mammal 

field team to dect and examine specimens. Stranding Network responded to over 400 marine 

The network maintains a current directory of all mammal strandings in Washington and Oregon. 

participants, and the Regional Director has issued In the Northwest, the general public is advised to 

Letters of Authorization (LOA) to over 100 report strandings to the Washington State Patrol 

qualified participants. All authorized or theOregonStatePolicewhorelaythe informacooperators complete standard data forms for tion to one of five volunteer Stranding Network 

Response Centers. The Response Centers coor1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 20 
dinate the appropriate action which varies from 

providing advice to dispatching a team of scien- Alaska. The Alaska Region network investific investigators. tigated the strandings of 15 whales and 2 porpoises. Gray whales were the most commonly 

Table 3. Cetaceans stranded during stranded species (6), followed by humpback 

1987 on the California coast as whales (4) and beluga whales (2). Also, entanglereported to NMFS by the California ment of 7 humpback whales in salmon gillnet 

fsheries in Southeast Alaska were investigated. Marine Mammal Stranding Network Five were eventually released alive, and one freed 

itself. The seventh animal died. Because of this 

large number of entanglements, the Alaska 

Region is developing a "whale hotline" to provide 

a quick rescue response to entangled whales. 

From 1975 to 1987, the most commonly stranded 

cetacean found in Alaska was the gray whale (127 

reports). Other commonly found species included the beluga whale (%), Stejneger's beaked 

whale (29), killer whale (20), Cuvier's beaked 

whale (19), minke whale (19), bowhead whale 

(ll), humpback whale (9), sperm whale (9), 

Baird's beaked whale (8) and fin whale (7). 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 21 
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS 

International Whaling 

Commission (MIC) 

meet in^. The United States had 

lPre$kary objectives for the 39th Annual 

Meeting: to continue to support the implementation of the moratorium decision, to clarify the type 

of research involving the killing of whales that is 

consistent with the WC's conservation program, 

and to secure a bowhead whale quota that is consistent with the IWC's aboriginal/subsistence 

whaling management scheme. These objectives 

were substantially achieved. 

The IWC Moratorium Decision. The 39th Annual Meeting did not amend the moratorium 

decision or take any action to modify itssubstance. 

Three member governments (Japan, Norway, 

and the USSR) objected to the moratoriumwhich 

removed them from any technical obligation 

under international law to comply. In 1985, the 

Soviet Union announced that it would temporarily stop commercial whaling for the 1987-88 Antarctic whaling season for technical reasons. In 

1986, the Government of Norway announced that 

it would end its commercial whaling following the 

1987 season. Also in 1986, the Government of 

Japan notified the lWC that it withdrew its objection on July 1, 1986, effective May 1, 1987 with 

respect to commercial pelagic whaling; from October 1,1987 with respect to commercial coastal 

whaling for minke and Bryde's whales; and from 

April 1,1988 with respect to commercial coastal 

sperm whaling. This withdrawal will lapse by its 

own terms only if at any time before April 1,1988, 

the Secretary of Commerce receives a final unappealable order from any U.S. court requiring certification under U.S. law of Japanese commercial 

whaling. 

Scientilic. Ln preparation for the 1987 

IWC meeting, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce instructed the U.S.IWCCommissioner to clarifythe 

type of research conducted under scientific permits that is consistent with the IWC conservation 

program. The U.S. drafted a proposed resolution 

on scientific research programs that included additional criteria to be used by the Scientific Committee when reviewing research proposed under 

scientific permits. It also provided a mechanism 

for the Commission to recommend to Member 

Governments that they refrain from issuing, or 

revoke such permits. The Commission adopted 

this resolution. 

The Commission passed resolutions recommending that the Governments of the Republic of 

Korea, Iceland and Japan refrain from issuing, or 

revoke, scientific permits either currently in force 

or proposed until favorably reviewed by the Scientific Committee. 

minal Whaling. The Technical Committee 

of the AboriginaVSubsistence Whaling Subcommittee met before the annual meeting and considered reports from Denmark, the Soviet Union, 

St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Japan, and the 

United States on whale catches needed to meet 

nutritional, subsistence and cultural needs. The 

United States presented a proposal for a bowhead 

whale catch limit for 1987 of 32 strikes and for 1988 

of 35 strikes. The Committee endorsed this 

proposal and the Commission took the same action, marking the first time that the TWC has set 

bowhead whale quotas without debate. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 22 
The Commission adopted the recommendation 

of the Technical Committee that a quota of three 

humpback whales per year be permitted to be 

taken by Bequians of St. Vincent and the 

Grenadines, but only if the meat and products of 

the whales are to be used for local consumption. 

Following the submission of additional information on the Japanese proposal that its small-type 

minke whaling be recognized as similar to 

aboriginal subsistence operations, discussion 

focused on the definition of aboriginal subsistence 

whaling. The Subcommittee was unable to make 

any recommendations, but the Commission 

agreed to establish an ad hoc working group 

within the Subcommittee to examine the terms 

and definitions of whaling for commercial purposes, aboriginal subsistence whaling and other 

categories. 

The Commission also set the following additional aboriginal catch limits for 1988: 

Eastern Pacific gray: 170 

West Greenland minke: 110 

West Greenland fin: 10 

Central Atlantic minke: 12 

Whale. Catch limits 

for commercially exploited stocks continued to be 

set at zero for the 1988 coastal and the 1987-1988 

pelagic whaling seasons as a result of the 1982 

moratorium decision. 

7 The Joint Working Group of the Technical and Scientific Committees recommended, and the Commission 

endorsed, the following recommendations 

regarding the assessment of whale stocks: 

1) the Secretariat computing facility should be 

used for carrying out second stage testing of 

management procedures, 

4) a contract study should be carried out to 

analyze Southern Hemisphere minke whale marking data; 

5) a workshop should be held to address the use 

of natural markings to identify whales in order to 

estimate population parameters; and 

6) those nations who have exploited minke 

whales in the North Atlanticbe requested to supply a description of methods and hunting strategies 

of those operations. 

The Commission agreed that the Scientific Committee should give priority to those stocks for 

which there had been substantial whaling activity 

before the moratorium, where much information 

has been accumulated, and on which substantial 

scientific work is underway. 

HumaneKilliae. The Technical Committee 

Working Group on Humane Killing reported on 

discussions concerning the Alaskan bowhead 

whale hunt, the Greenland whale hunt, the 

Faroese-pilot whale fishery, use of neurotoxins, 

experiments on 90mm harpoon grenade technology, and national laws relevant to killing animals. 

The Commission endorsed the actions of the 

Working Group. 

The United States presented papers concerning 

the time it takes landed whales to die and the hunting efficiency and recovery methods in the Alaskan Eskimo subsistence hunt. It was noted that 

time of death was actually the time until the whale 

was brought under control and often that meant 

the time until brought to shore. A new penthrite 

projectile, developed by Norwegian specialists 

under contract to the Alaska Eskimo Whaling 

Commission, will be used as soon as tests are completed. The improved projectile will be used in 

traditional weapons and offers an increased 

potential for achieving instantaneous kills. 

2) the new techniques of DNA analysis should 

be further developed for stock identity studies, North Pacific Fur Seal 

3) monitoring studies should be continued, Commission 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 23 
The Interim Convention on Conservation of 

North Pacirrc Fur Seals, signed in 1957 by Canada, 

Japan, the Soviet Union and the Unitedstates, expired when the United States declined to ratify a 

Protocol to extend the Convention. Opposition to 

the Protocol was based on its commercial harvest 

provisions in light of the recent declines in the 

Pribilof Island population of fur seals. The 

United States is currently managing fur seals, including a subsistence harvest on the Pribiiof Islands under the MMPA and the Fur Seal Act. In 

February 1988, the North Pacific Fur Seal Commission officially concluded its activities with the 

disbursement of all remaining cash reserves to the 

former Parties. The original Fur Seal Treaty was 

signed in 1911 and was one of the oldest international agreements for the conservation of a natural 

resource. 

The purpose of the Commission was to achieve 

the maximum sustainable productivity of the fur 

seal herd through the coordination of research 

programs and conservation measures carried out 

by the member governments. In an effort torenew 

international efforts for the conservation of the 

Northern fur seal, the United States hosted informal consultations in September 1987, emphasizing coordinated international research and a 

continued ban on pelagic sealing, and proposed 

that a new international agreement be considered. 

International North Pacific 

Fisheries Commission (INPFC) 

The United States and Japan signed a memorandurn of Understanding (MOU) on marine mammals on June 8,1987, which remains in effect until 

June 1990. The MOU was developed in connection with the International Convention for the 

High Seas Fisheries of the North Pacific Ocean 

and was a condition of the General Permit issued 

by the United States in June 1987 to Japanese salmon fshermen who operate in the U.S. Exclusive 

Economic Zone (EEZ). As with three previous 

MOUs, the agreement provides for cooperative 

research on Dall's porpoise and other marine 

mammals incidentally caught in the Japanese high 

seas salmon fisheries. 

At the 1987 annual meeting of the INPFC, the 

Sub-committee on Marine Mammals reviewed 

1987 research activities and those planned for 

1988. The SubCommittee also reviewed documents that highhghted studies on the abundance 

of Dall's porpoise stocks in the North Pacific, the 

reduction of incidental marine mammal takes in 

the salmon f~hery based upon gear modifications, 

as well as biological studies on the animals taken 

incidentally during 1981-86 in the landbased salmon f~hery. 

US-USSR Marine Mammal 

Project, Environmental Protection 

This project promotes joint research and exchange of information by U.S. and Soviet scientists on the biology, ecology and population 

dynamics of marine mammals of concern to both 

countries. The 1987 studies included the following. 

Three U.S. scientists participated in a joint research cruise aboard a Soviet sealer/trawler, the 

ZRS ZAKHAROVO, during September-October to study the biology and population structure of Pacific walrus and bearded seals in the 

Bering and Chukchi Seas. The data obtained will 

help determine the current status of these populations. A total of 623 walrus and 2 bearded seals 

were collected during the cruise, and extensive information was obtained on food habits, size, and 

condition factor, pregnancy rate and age structure 

of the population. 

In October and November, two Soviet scientists 

worked at Hubbs Marine Research Institute, the 

NMFS Southwest Fisheries Center, and the 

Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. to 

develop information on distinguishing variations 

in color patterns of harbor seals, a species widely 

distributed in the North Pacific Ocean, and to 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 24 
continue work on the development of approaches calling on alI interested nations whose flag vessels 

to the taxonomic study of dolphin osteological participate in the eastern Pacific purse seine tuna 

materials. fshery to take appropriate steps to encourage 

their fishermen to employ fishing gear and procedures that have proven effective in reducing inInter-American Tropical Tuna cidental porpoise mortality. The resolution also 

Commission (IAlTC) noted the availability of the IATTC staff in implementing the recommendations. 

At its 1987 annual meeting, the IATTC adopted 

a resolution oil the incidental take of porpoises, 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 25 
ENFORCEMENT OF THE MMPA 

T he provisions of the MMPA are enforced by 

Special Agents of NMFS with support from 

state enforcement officers. NMFS employs about 

95 Special Agents and has cooperative enforcement agreements with the following states: 

Florida, Alabama, California and Washington. 

Cooperative agreements allow state officers to enforce the MMPA. 

In the past year, Special Agents spent about 

3,694 work hours investigating 117 alleged violations of the MMPA. Of these, 44 percent involved 

the unlawful taking (including harassment) of 

marine mammals, and 31 percent involved unlawful importations primarily of marine mammal 

parts and products. 

Cases of particular interest include the following: 

" In May 1987, NMFS Special Agents 

seized 3,400~orthern fur seal skins at the 

Fouke Company in Greensville, South 

Carolina. These skins were from the 

1985 subsistence harvest, allowed under 

the MMPA, on St. Paul Island, and had 

been sent to Fouke by the Tanadgusix 

Corporation of St. Paul Island. At the 

time, Fouke was not a registered tannery, 

and there was no evidence that the skins 

were to be used for native handicrafts. 

Under the terms of a settlement agreement, Tanadgusix paid a $5,000 penalty 

and forfeited the seized skins to the 

United States. A settlement agreement 

is still being negotiated with Fouke. 

" The captain of a San Diego tuna seiner 

was convicted in U.S. District Court for 

unlawfully shooting and harassing bottlenose dolphins that became trapped in 

a purse seine. The incident, which occurred off southern Mexico, was witnessed by a NMFS observer aboard the 

vessel. The convicted captain is awaiting 

sentencing which could include time in 

prison. 

In California, NMFS Special Agents observed two separate gillnet vessels 

retrieve sea lions and porpoise from their 

nets. The vessel that took the porpoise 

had a certificate of inclusion to allow the 

taking of certain marine mammals 

during fishing operations, but the porpoise was not an allowed species. The 

vessel that took the sea lions did not have 

a certificate of inclusion. It is unusual for 

NMFS Special Agents to actually observe these kinds of violations as they 

occur. 

O A case was made against another tuna 

boat captain for interferingwith a NMFS 

observer and preventing the observer 

from accomplishing his assigned duties. 

O Another tuna boat captain was charged 

with unlawfully taking marine mammals 

when he shot and wounded a species of 

porpoise not included in his certificate of 

inclusion. 

A NMFS Special Agent in Florida seized 

a shipment of 357 wallets made from 

southern fur seal skin which was imported from Uruguay. The NOAA Office of General Counsel is negotiating a 

settlement of this case. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 26 
DEPLETED MARINE MAMMALS 

Northern Fur Seal 

N MFS has designated the Pribilof Island 

population of North Pacific fur seals as 

depleted under the MMPA. This action is required when a species or population stock falls 

below its optimum sustainable population (OSP). 

Since the current Pribiiof Island population of 

North Pacific fur seals is below 50 percent of the 

population levels observed in the 1940s and early 

1950s, it is below its OSP and, by definition, 

depleted. The designation became effective June 

18,1988. 

The Pribiof Island population of North Pacific 

fur seals has declined from about 2.2 million in the 

1950's to 800,000 today, and the causes of the 

decline remain under investigation. 

Once a stock is designated as depleted, the 

MMPA requires additional restrictions on taking 

and importation. Intentional takings are permitted only for research, subsistence and handicraft purposes by Alaska Natives. Small 

unintentional incidental takes resulting from 

other activities may be allowed under certain circumstances. 

From 1957 through 1984, a commercial harvest 

of fur seals on the Pribiiof Islands was conducted 

by the United States under the authority of the Interim Convention on Conservation of Fur Seals. 

When the U.S. Senate did not ratify the protocol 

that would have extended the Convention, NOAA 

determined that a commercial harvest could not 

take place under existing domestic law. 

A major objective of NMFS' research is to identify and eliminate the causes of the population's 

decline. In 1987, NMFS scientists conducted fur 

seal research on the Pribiiof Islands, Alaska, and 

on the Channel Islands, California. 

Northern Sea Uon 

Based on a preliminary review of a status report 

on the Northern (Steller) sea lion in Alaska, 

NMFS has published an advance notice of 

proposed rulemaking (May 6, 1988) to consider 

designating this population as depleted. If this 

population stock is designated as depleted, the 

MMPA requires the application sf certain additional restrictions on taking and importation. In 

this instance, based on recent court decisions, 

restrictions on commercial fishing in the North 

Padk Ocean and Bering Sea are possible consequences. 

The report, "Status Review, Northern (Steller) 

Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubalus) in Alaska" 

(January 1988), concludes that the number of 

adult and juvenile sea lions observed on rookeries 

in southwest Alaska declined at least 52 percent 

from approximately 140,000 in 1956-60 to about 

68,000 in 1985. 

Although the number of Northern sea lions has 

declined throughout Alaska (52 percent overall in 

27 years), the greatest decline has been observed 

in the eastern Aleutian Islands (79 percent) and 

western Gulf of Alaska (73 percent). Declines 

have also occurred in the central Gulf of Alaska 

(31 percent) and central Aleutian Islands (8 percent). These declines may have occurred in two 

phases. The first phase probably began in the 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 27 
early 1970s and was confined to the eastern 

Aleutian Islands and western Gulf of Alaska. 

Numbers of sea lions in the Aleutians and Gulf of 

Alaska fell by25 percent (1.6 percent per year) between 1958-77. Numbers in the eastern Aleutian 

Islands appeared to stabilize in the mid-19'70s 

while those in the central Aleutians and western 

Gulf may have increased slightly. A second phase 

of the decline probably began during the late 

1970s affecting all areas and resulting in a further 

decline of 36 percent (5.2 percent per year) between 1977-85. During 1986-87, counts of adults 

and pups at Marmot Island, the largest rookery in 

Alaska, indicate that the decline is continuing. 

Pup counts at Marmot Island totalled 6,741 in 

1979,4,286 in 1986 and only 5910 in 1987. 

Fisheries-related mortality factors have been examined as possible causes of the observed 

declines in northern sea lions. These factors include incidental take in the course of commercial 

fishing in the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean, 

directed killing of sea lions by fishermen, changes 

in quantity or quality of prey species, especially 

walleye pollock, and entanglement in lost or discarded fishing gear or other debris. NMFS is also 

examining reproduction and natural mortality 

rates, changes in environmental wrying capacity, 

oceanographic conditions, disease and toxic substances, predation, and the effects of past commercial and subsistence harvests. 

NMFS has awarded a contract to the Alaska 

Department of Fish and Game to determine the 

availabilityof data on incidental mortality (i.e., entanglement and shooting) of northern sea lions in 

U.S. domestic fisheries (e.g, longline, trawl, purse 

seine, gillnet, etc). This study will identify the 

sources of data, as well as estimate the coverage 

and reliability of these data. 

Hawaiian Monk Seal 

In May 1988, NMFS extended critical habitat for 

Hawaiian monk seals from 10 to 20 fathoms in all 

areas previously designated as critical (April 

1986). NMFS believes the designation of critical 

habitat to 20 fathoms (under a provision of the Endangered Species Act) will benefit the species because it includes additional areas that may require 

special management consideration or protection. 

Also, Maro Reef was added to the areas designated as critical. 

The frnal rule designated as critical habitat all 

beach areas, including all beach crest vegetation 

to its deepest extent inland, lagoon waters, and 

ocean waters out to a depth of 20 fathoms, around 

Kure Atoll, Midway Islands (except Sand Island 

and its harbor), Pearl and Hermes Reef, Maro 

Reef, Lisianski Island, Laysan Island, Gardner 

Pinnacles, French Frigate Shoals, Necker Island, 

and Nihoa Island. References to beaches or 

beach areas include all sand spits and islets. 

NMFS estimates that there are 1,500 Hawaiian 

monk seals. 

Research. Hawaiian monk seal population 

monitoring, research and recovery activities are 

conducted by the Honolulu Laboratory of the 

Southwest Fisheries Center. An estimated 204 

pups were born during the 1987 breeding season, 

the highest number since monitoring of all main 

rookery areas in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islandswas initiated in 1983. Analysis of tag resighting data this year indicated that survival of young 

seals is very high, with a mean annual survival rate 

of 0.89 for males and 0.91 for females to 4 years of 

age. No strong differences were apparent between the sexes, among island populations, or 

among cohorts. From these findings, it appears 

that under present circumstances, survival of 

juvenile seals is not an impediment to recovery of 

the species. 

However, two of the breeding populations show 

no sign of recovery in spite of high juvenile survival. At Laysan Island, the number of births has 

remained about the same over the last 10 years, 

and at Lisianski Island, the trend in births is down. 

These two populations have a highly skewed adult 

sex ratio with at least two males per female, in spite 

of equal numbers of immature males and females. 

Attacks by adult males on adult females at these 

two locations appear to result in higher mortality 

in females. Research on this problem is in 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 28 
progress (following a plan developed at a 

February 1987 workshop) including trials with 

hormone analogs directed at reducing this aggressive behavior in captive adult male seals. 

The Kure Atoll female pup head start project 

was again conducted in 1987. Six pups were born, 

and three females were collected at weaning for 

temporary captive maintenance. In 1986, only one 

pup (male) was born at Kure Atoll, the lowest year 

in the downward trend from 30 pups per year 

when the U.S. Coast Guard began occupation of 

the island 25 years ago. However, in 1987, the 6- 

year-old females from the first year of the project 

(1981) began giving birth. The present high 

juvenile female survival resulting from head starting programs, together with the introduction of 

rehabilitated yearling females from French 

Frigate Shoals, is expected to result in increasing 

births. Coast Guard disturbance of monk seals on 

the beaches needs to be further reduced to 

preclude high mortality in these newly recruited 

breeding females. 

A cooperative research effort with the Smithsonian Institution resulted in the finding that 87 

percent of females pupping on East Island at 

French Frigate Shoals fostered at least one pup 

other than their own. On average, the total duration of foster care by females was found to be just 

under half of the total duration of care for their 

own pups. The impact of this behavior on pup 

development and survival is still being assessed. 

Bowhead Whale 

Research. An aerial study of bowhead whales 

was conducted in the Point Barrow, Alaska, area 

April 19 to June 7,1987, to collect photographs of 

the dorsal views of bowhead whales for length 

measurements and identification of individuals. 

The cumulative total from the 19 flights was 395 

bowheads seen and 281 photographed. Problems 

with the aircraft's altimeter and long periods of 

dense fog prevented a full-season study of migration. Of adult animals, 79 to 153 reidentifications 

were made, all indicating travel along the expected migratory corridor. 

Results from the 1985 and 1986 studies were 

based on 543 and 234 measured whales respectively. Migrating animals were temporarily 

segregated since small animals traveled late in the 

season. Calves comprised 1.1 percent of the 1985 

sample and 12.4 percent of the 1986 sample. In 

1986, there was a small proportion of evident yearlings which matches the low calving rate of the previous year. Assuming a calving interval of 3 years 

(as established with right whales), a gross annual 

reproductive rate of 0.065 and 0.092 was calculated for 1985 and 1986 respectively. 

For the years 1984-86, there were 530 individually identifiable bowhead whales in the 

photographic collection. Using 73 pairs of 

resightings where each resighting was at least 0.3 

km from the original sighting, it was calculated 

that whales migrated past point Barrow on a 

median direction of 67 degreesTrue and at a mean 

speed of 4.1 Mr. Younger animals (except calves) arrived earlier in the migration than did older 

animals as suggested by the increased amount of 

white on the caudal peduncles as the season 

progressed. The extent of white has been correlated to whale size which is assumed to correlate 

with age. Calves appeared late in the season accompanied by large adults. Whales reidentified 

between years showed variable consistency in 

migratory dates, within 5 days for some, as much 

as 20 days difference for others. A markhecapture analysis, based on 205 whales photographed 

betweenMay2, and June 1,1985 and 164 from the 

same date in 1986, resulted in 6 resightings. From 

these data, the Peterson estimate of the bowhead 

population size is 4,855 (95% confidence interval 

= 5538,157). This is only one method that has 

been used to estimate the population size of 

bowheads; the small sample size and extremely 

small number of resightings results in a large estimate of variance, and, therefore, the wide confidence interval. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 29 

analysis is for quantifying changes and degree of 

change in north Atlantic humpback fluke patterns. 

RiaM Whale 

NMFS has appointed a recovery team for the 

right whale, and a recovery plan is being drafted 

by NMFS and the team. Through a cooperative 

agreement with the University of Rhode Island, 

NMFS has implemented an integrated research 

program on the North Atlantic right whale. A 

consortium of research institutions will take part 

in studies to detect changes and causes of changes 

in the population size and distribution of this 

species. The research involves four tasks: 

1) Development of a data base that incorporates 

data collected since 1956. The format will allow 

each sighting event to be recreated. 

2) Aerial surveys made principally in the 

southeast region (Cape Hatteras to southern 

Florida) to collect distribution, abundance, 

population demographics, photo-identification, 

and other data. 

3) Shipboard surveys will be made principally in 

the northeast region (Nova Scotia to Great South 

Channel) to obtain data on distribution, respiration rates, micro-scale movements, high-use 

habitats, behavior, social groups, ecological and 

oceanographic parameters. Photographs will be 

taken for individual identification and of cowtcalf 

pairs to determine sizetage estimations and 

reproductive and mortality rates. 

4) Data analyses that will include abundance estimates using standard line and strip transect 

methods; mark-recapture studies; and population 

demographics using field sighting data including 

length and size composition, sex, calving rates, 

nursing duration and mortality rates. Additionally, high-use habitats will be documented and 

described in relation to oceanographic and 

biological parameters. 

Recent information on the distribution of right 

whales off the southeast coast, particularly their 

calvinggrounds off northern Florida and Georgia, 

has prompted increased scrutiny of activities 

which may affect this species. Section 7 consultations under the Endangered Species Act have 

addressed right whaleFederal activity conflicts in 

the Georgia and northern Florida area. In the 

case of the U.S. Navy (Kings Bay Project), NMFS 

has requested the implementation of additional 

measures to reduce the chances of right whales 

colliding with dredges. NMFS recommends that 

any Federal activities which may impact right 

whales on their calving grounds be conducted outside of the January-March calving season. 

Grav Whale 

For more than two decades, NMFS has counted 

the gray whale population during its southbound 

migration at Granite Canyon (south of Monterey), 

California. Recent censuses counted 5,344 

whales in 19W85, and 5,341 in 1985186. The estimated population size in 1985 was 18,500. 

During the 1985186 census, there was an apparent 

change in the offshore distribution during the 

migration (the distance of whales from shore was 

greater), and an unknown number may have been 

missed due to the greater distance. As a result, 

the population estimate was lower than in 1985, 

but the 1986 figures could not be used because of 

a lack of comparability. 

Another census was conducted in 1987188, combining shore counts and aerial surveys to determine offshore distribution (hence, "sightabity" 

from shore). This year's effort counted over 6,100 

gray whales passing the granite Canyon station, 

with an estimated 98 percent passing within 3 

miles of shore, thus ensuring reliable counts by the 

shore-based observers. 

The estimated population size, as a result of this 

study, is 21,113 (standard error 688). 

The Southwest Region is monitoring and assessing the rate of gray whale entanglement in fishing 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 31 
nets and gear along the California coast. During impact of entanglement on the gray whale populathe 1986-87 migration period (December- tion concludes that the current rate is not likely to 

August), 15 incidents of gray whale entanglement result in an adverse impact to the population. 

were reported. However, a report assessing the 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 32 
REPORTS ON SELECTED SPECIES 

Bottlenose Dolphin 

NMFS regulates the 

A:~~~oY~e%E?Ettlenose dolphin (~irsiops ~rurtcatus) for public display and scientific 

research. All takes are coordinated with the 

Southeast Regional Director. Taking is 

authorized only from areas where populations 

have been assessed and where there are sufficient 

numbers to allow a quota. Permit holders may 

collect from the following areas when authorization has been granted by NMFS. 

Current Annual Quotas: 

Mississippi Sound 35 

IndianfBanana River Complex 6 

(Florida) 

Texas Coast-Corpus Christ-matgorda Bay 17 

West Coast of Florida (between 23 

Crystal River and Charlotte 

Harbor, including Tampa Bay) 

Florida Panhandle 10 

(between Crystal River west to 

Mobile Bay, Alabama 

TOTAL 91 

The number of bottlenose dolphins removed 

during any calendar year cannot exceed two percent of the minimum population in a specific location. 

Research. Two literature reviews on bottlenose 

dolphins were completed. The first report 

reviewed the evidence for various hypotheses 

about the structuring of bottlenose dolphin stocks 

in the southeast United States and concluded that 

there is good evidence (both morphological and 

genetic) that two general types of bottlenose are 

found in the Mid Atlantic area, an inshore and an 

offshore type. There is also some evidence for the 

existence of discrete coastal stocks. Until more is 

known about the degree of genetic exchange between the inshore (coastal) and offshore populations, they should be managed as separate stocks. 

The other report r&ewed the literature on bottlenose dolphins and other related species to 

determine the likely bounds for demographic 

rates of bottlenose dolphins. Both are available 

from the Southeast Fisheries Center. 

Local populations of bottlenose dolphins are 

being monitored in two Florida locations: the 

Sarasota and Tampa Bays, and the Indian and 

Banana Rivers. These studies are designed to 

detect large-scale (halving or doubling) yearly 

changes in relative abundance andlor production 

of the dolphin stocks, and establish data bases for 

long-term detection of trends in localized 

geographical regions. 

Progress was made analyzing data from linetransect aerial surveys conducted in the Gulf of 

Mexico during 1983-86 primarily to determine 

bottlenose dolphin abundance. The first draft 

reports covering abundance estimation and distribution patterns will be completed in late 19S. 

12nlpl1in Epidemic A field team was cstablished by NMFS lo collect and necropsy 

specimens. Tissues and other data were collected 

from several hundred animals and are being 

analyzed at several facilities. The SEFC has 

awarded a contract for an ageing and stock identification analysis which will be based on skull and 

body morphometry. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 33 
The SEFC and the Smithsonian cooperated in a 

series of beachfront aerial surveys that were conducted to monitor stranding rates. Four surveys 

of the coast from New Jersey to northern Florida 

have been completed, and one more is planned. 

Effects on -. An offshore aerial survey was conducted off the New Jersey-Cape Hatteras area during August 1987, to estimate 

abundance. The survey area replicated part of the 

area covered by the 1979-81 Cetacean and Turtle 

Population and Abundance (CETAP) Surveys. A 

comparison with the CETAP data indicated there 

was about a 60 percent chance that there was a 

decline in abundance, but there was more than a 

90 percent probability that the decline was less 

than 40 percent. Aerial surveys are being used to 

intensively monitor the bottlenose dolphin 

population in the Indian/Banana Rivers, Florida, 

area during mid-January through mid-March. 

L-. Up to 25 bottlenose dolphins 

from populations along the U.S. mid-Atlantic 

coast that were affected by the epidemicwere captured and examined. Bacterial, viral and other 

samples were collected. The pathology of several 

animalswith thesame symptoms as those that died 

during the epidemic are being analyzed. 

Beluga Whale 

Beluga Whale Technical Committee. Beluga 

whales are an important subsistence resource in 

several Alaskan villages. Alaska Native groups 

have become concerned that there may be increased pressure for regulating their beluga whale 

hunts. To protect their traditional hunts and to 

provide a forum for the exchange of scientific information, the North Slope Borough has 

proposed the formation of an Alaska Beluga 

Whale Technical Committee to develop a 

management plan in conjunction with subsistence 

hunters and government agencies. Additional 

goals will be to compile harvest records, define research needs, and provide a contact point for 

coordinating local, regional and international 

concerns. NMFS has been actively involved in the 

development of this committee. 

Atlantic Ocean-Muttispecies 

Studies 

Since 1980, Manomet Bird Observatory has used 

principally NMFS research vessels as survey platforms to observe sea birds, marine mammals, and 

sea turtles between Nova Scotia and Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The 1980-1986 data is compatible with NMFS' trawl survey data, and 

researchers are able to correlate sightings with 

fsheries, plankton, and oceanographic data. 

Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic 

Institution designed a comprehensive reference 

database for marine mammal literature. The 

database was organized to complement the format used by William E. Schevill for this extensive 

collection of cetacean literature. The database allows the user to retrieve references based on topic, 

author, species, geographic region, and 

taxonomic levels. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 34 
LEGAL ACTIONS 

, s'n v. Sem 

(T).C. Cir. 1988.). In separate 

suits that were consolidated by the district court, 

various plantiffs filed actions against the Secretary 

challenging an MMPA general permit issued to 

the Federation of Japan Salmon Fisheries 

Cooperative (Federation) to take Dall's porpoise 

incidental to salmon fishing activities in the US. 

EEZ. The permit allowed for the incidental take 

of Dall's porpoise, but prohibited the take of other 

marine mammals, including northern fur seals, 

that would also be taken. The Federation challenged the reduction of quotas on Dall's porpoise 

from what they had requested and the denial of a 

permit to incidentally take northern fur seals and 

sought a preliminary injunction to allow for the incidental take of fur seals. The Center for Enviornmental Education and other environmental 

groups, as well as the Kokechik Fishermen's Association (Kokechik) in two other suits, challenged the permit on grounds that the MMPA 

precluded the issuance of a permit for Dall's porpoise if other marine mammals would inevitably 

be taken for which a permit could not be issued. 

The environmental groups and Kokechik also 

sought a preliminary injunction to enjoin the issuance of the permit to the Federation. 

The district court (D.D.C. June 15, 1987) 

granted the motions for preliminary injunctions 

filed by the environmental groups and Kokechik 

and denied the Federation's motion as moot. The 

court held that asmatter of statutory construction, 

no permit may be issued for Dall's porpoise if it is 

known that other marine mammals, for which a 

permit cannot be issued, will also be taken. 

The Federation and the Secretary appealed to 

the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of 

Columbia. The Court of Appeals affmed the 

district court on February 16, 1988, holding as a 

matter of law that the issuance of the permit is contrary to the requirements of the MMPA in that it 

allowed incidental taking of various species of 

protected marine mammals without first ascertaining the population of that species was at the 

optimum sustainable population level. A motion 

for rehearing and a stay of the injunction filed by 

the Federation and the Secretary was denied on 

May 12, 1988. The Solicitor General authorized 

the filing of a petition for a writ of certiorari to the 

U.S. Supreme Court on May 25, 1988. The 

Federation and the Secretary filed motions to stay 

the injunction with the Court of Appeals and the 

Supreme Court pending a determination on the 

petition for writ of certiorari. Both motions were 

denied. 

As a result of this litigation, the Federation chose 

not to fish for salmon in the U.S. EEZ in 1988. 

ace U.S.A. v. [W.D. Wash. 

M). This case involved a challenge by Greenpeace and other environmental groups to a scientific research permit issued by NMFS to A. Rus 

Hoelzel to take dart biopsy samples from killer 

whales in Puget Sound, Washington. Plaintiffs alleged among other things that the permit was issued illegally because NMFS did not prepare an 

Environmental Assessment (EA)or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), but instead invoked a categorical exclusion as provided by the 

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

On June 17,1987, the court considered cross motions for summary judgment and granted 

Greepeace's motion on grounds that NMFS violated NEPA by failing to prepare an EA or EIS in 

light of the existence of factors which indicated 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 35 
that the proposed research did not qualify for a 

catergorical exclusion. 

Ass'n v. A& Cetacean 

tv 478 U.S. 221 (1986). This action was 

originally brought in 1984 by environmental 

groups to restrain the Secretary from enteringinto 

an agreement with Japan not tocertify its noncompliancewith commercial whalingquotas under the 

Pelly Amendment and the Packwood-Magnuson 

Amendment. In June 1986, the United States 

Supreme Court stated that neither the Pelly 

Amendment nor the Packwood Amendment required the Secretary to certify Japan for refusing 

to abide by IWC whaling quotas. The Court held 

that the Secretary had discretion as to whether to 

certify Japan in order to bring Japan into compliancewith quotas set by the International Whaling Commission. 

In September, 1987, the original plaintiffs attempted to reopen the case through a motion for 

relief from judgment on grounds that Japan's 

proposed "scientific whaling" violated the basis of 

the Court's finding that the Secretary had adequate justification for withholding certification. 

The Federal district court denied the motion on 

the ground that the Supreme Court decision did 

not hinge upon representations by Japan, but 

rather on the Secretary's right to consider alternatives to certification. 

In January, 1988, the plaintiffssued thesecretary 

again to enjoin him to certify Japan based on its 

1988 scientific whaliing proposal. This case was 

dismissed by plaintiffs when the Secretary certified Japan for its scientific whaling activities. 

the Uniteds v. V& 

of Columbia). The Humane Society 

of the United States sued the Secretary of Commerce on December 12,1987, alleging that he had 

violated both the MMPA and the Animal Protection Act by reopening tbe comment period on the 

proposed rule designating the northern fur seal as 

depleted under the MMPA. NMFS had 

reopened the comment period to address what 

was thought to be new, pertinent data on the fur 

seal. 

On May 18,1988, NMFS published the final rule 

designating the northern fur seal as depleted. 

Judge Richie approved the dismissal of the case 

on May 20,1988. 

Hiwai). On February 20,1986, Greenpeace and 

the Sierra Club filed suit challenging NMFS' 

failure to designate critical habitat for the 

Hawaiian monk seal within one year of publishing 

a proposed rule. The 1-year limit is imposed by 

the Endangered Species Act (ESA), but the lawsuit was brought under both the ESA and the 

MMPA. On April 2.5, 1986, NMFS designated 

critical habitat for the Hawaiian monk seal including beaches, lagoons, and waters surrounding the 

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) to a 

depth of 10 fathoms. 

In 1983, NMFS approved a recovery plan for the 

monk seal that included the recommendation that 

critical habitat be designated out to the20 fathom 

isobath around the NWHI. In designating critical 

habitat to 10 fathoms, NMFS determined that 

deeper waters did not "require special management considerations or protectionn and, therefore, did not fit the definition of critical habitat. 

Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint on November 4,1986, to compel designation to 20 fathoms, 

alleging also that the MMPA imposes a duty on 

the Federal government to protect the monk seals 

habitat and that defendants had violated Section 

2of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361(2)) by refusing to 

designate critical habitat as advised in the 

recovery plan. Additionally, plaintiffs argued that 

Section 202 of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1402(d)) 

had been violated because NMFS did not designate critical habitat to beyond 10 fathoms as 

recommended by the Marine Mammal Commission. 

A hearing was held in district court on March 9, 

1987, and the Judge issued an order three days 

later. The court agreed with NMFS that both 

parts of the definition of critical habitat under the 

ESA must be satisfied before an area can be 

properly designated as critical habitat. The court 

further ruled that whether the 10 to20 fathom area 

"may require special management considerations 

or protectionn is a "genuine and material issue of 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 36 
factw and determined that a trial on that point However, NMFS published a final rule designatshould be held. ing critical habitat to 20 fathoms on May 26,1988. 

On June 27,1988, a stipulation of dismissal, with 

prejudice, was signed. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 37 
Appendix 

Hawaiian monk seals, an adult male and sub-adult female, on 

French Frigate Shoals, Hawaii. Photo by John Henderson, 

Southwest Fisheries Center, Honolulu Laboratory, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

A prematurely weaned Hawaiian monk seal pup learning to feed 

in captivity before release to the wild. Photo by John Henderson, 

Southwest Fisheries Center, Honolulu Laboratory, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

1988 Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Page 38 
TABLE 1: 1987 GENERAL PERMIT AND SMALL TAKE EXEMPTIONS FOR INCIDENTAL TAKE OF MARINE MAMMALS DURING COMMERCIAL FISHING 

EEZ/Applicant/Category Otar i idae Phocidae 

ATLANTIC OCEAN Northern Northern 

(Inside U.S. EEZ) sea Lion fur seal 

California 

sea l ion 

Harbor 

sea 1 

Elephant 

sea 1 

Requested Authorized Requested Authorized Requested Authorized Requested Authorized Requested Authori

Authorized Domestic--Neu 

England Groundfish 

Gillnetters--ST 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 5 0 0 0 

Domestic--Menhaden 

Purse Seiners ST 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Japan Deep Sea I 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 

Germany (GDR) I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Italy I 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 0 0 0 

- - ---- 

Netherlands I 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 Spain I 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 

PACIFIC OCEAN 

(Inside US EEZ) 

Domestic (NPFVO) 

I 1,000 1,000 10 10 0 0 10 10 0 0 

I I I 500 300 5 5 0 0 200 200 0 0 

I v 20 20 5 5 0 0 5 5 0 0 

V 1,000 75 0 10 10 0 0 1,800 1,200 0 0 

Domestic (PCFFA) 

I 10 10 5 5 20 20 10 10 10 10 

111 0 0 0 0 100 100 25 25 0 0 

IV 0 0 0 0 15 15 5 5 0 0 

V 50 50 10 10 1,700 1,700 700 700 50 50 
TABLE 1: 1987 GENERAL PERMIT AND SMALL TAKE EXEMPTIONS FOR INCIDENTAL TAKE OF MARINE MAMMALS DURING COMMERClAL FISHIN

Domestic (Hawaii) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Domestic (SAC) VI 0 0 0 0 H H 0 0 0 0 

Japan 

Deepsea I 80 40 10 0 0 0 20 20 0 0 

Hokutan I 25 4 0 5 0 0 0 5 5 0 0 Long1 ine V 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Salmon V 25 0 450 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Replblic of Korea 1 100 25 0 0 0 25 100 0 0 0 

Poland I 90 10 0 0 0 0 70 0 0 0 People's Republic 

of China I 90 10 0 0 0 0 70 0 0 0 

NOTES: 

Dallas porpoise, harbor porpoise, and beluga whale. 

Pilot whales (30), harbor porpoise (0) Dallls porpoise (51, 

comnon (S), whitesided (5) and bottlenosed dolphins (5). 

Pilot whales (lo), harbor porpoise (01, Dallas porpoise (10) 

and whitesided dolphins (10). 

Dallls porpoise; total 6,039 over 3 years. 

Except harbor porpoise. 

Mostly harbor porpoise. 

Total cetacean take by all permit holders fishing in the North ~tlantic Ocean may not exceed 622 cmn 

dolphins, 711 Atlantic whitesided dolphins, 365 harbor porpoise, 338 Stenella spp., 248 pilot whales, 

234 grampus, 172 bottlenose dolphins, and 4 beaked whales. 

Pilot whales (5). harbor porpoise (5), and Atlantic whitesided dolphins (5). 

H - Harassment only. ST - Small Take Exemption. 
TABLE 2 - SYNOPSIS OF PERMIT APPLICATIONS 

APRIL 1, 1987 TO MARCH 31, 1988 

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 

PUBLIC SCIENTIFIC AND 

DISPLAY PUBLIC DISPLAY 

AS O

NO. OF APPLICATIONS 

SUBM 1 TTED 

NO. OF ANIMALS REQUESTED (TOTAL) 

OF THESE: 

TAKEN BY KILLING TAKEN AND KEPT ALIVE 

KILLED IN CAPTIVITY 

TAKEN AND RELEASED 

FOUND DEAD 

STRANDED/EXCHANGED 

IMPORTS 

HARASS 

ACTION TAKEN 

NO. OF APPLICATIONS FORWARDED 

TO MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION 

NO. APPLICATIONS REVIEWED BY MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION 

NO. APPLICATIONS UITHDRAUN NO. OF APPLICATIONS REFERRED TO FISH AND WILDLIFE NO. OF APPLICATIONS REFERRED TO STATES NO. OF APPLICATIONS REFERRED TO REGIONS NO. OF APPLICATIONS RESOLVED THROUGH AGREEMENT NO. OF APPLICATIONS RETURNED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT OR INAPPROPRIATE 

SUBMITTAL NO. APPLICATIONS DENIED 

NO. OF APPLICATIONS APPROVED NO. OF APPLICATIONS PENDING 
"'A 

LY 

- 

I4 

m 

-1 

W 
TABLE 3 . NUMBER OF CETACEANS REQUESTED IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH/PU

PERMIT APPLICATIONS 

APRIL 1. 1987 THRU MARCH 31. 1988 

ATLANTIC SPOTTED DOLPHIN 

ATLANTIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN 

BAIRD'S BEAKED WHALE 

BLACK RIGHT WHALE. NORTHERN RIGHT BLUE UHALE BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN 

BOWHEAD WHALE COMMERSON'S DOLPHIN COMMON DOLPHIN CUVIER'S BEAKED UHALE 

DALL'S PORPOISE DUSKY DOLPHIN 

DWARF SPERM WHALE 

FALSE KILLER WHALE FIN WHALE. FINBACK 

FINLESS PORPOISE FRASER'S (sarawak) DOLPHIN 

GINKGO-TOOTHED BEAKED WHALE GRAY UHALE 

HARBOR PORPOISE 

HUBBS' BEAKED UHALE 

HUMPBACK WHALE KILLER WHALE 

LONG-FINNED PILOT WHALE 

MELON-HEADED WHALE. ELECTRA 

MlNKE WHALE 

NARWHAL NORTHERN RIGHT UHALE DOLPHIN 

PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN 

PILOT WHALES UNSPECIFIED PYGMY KILLER UHALE PYGMY SPERM UHALE 

RISSO'S DOLPHIN. GRAMPUS 

TAKEN BY KILLING 

TAKEN 

AND 

KEPT 

ALIVE 

KILLED IN CAPTIVITY 

TAGGED OR 

TAKEN AND RELEASED 

FOUND 

DEAD/ 

STRANDED 

TABLE 4 - NUMBER OF PINNIPEDS REQUESTED IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH/PUBLIC 

PERMIT APPLICATIONS 

APRIL 1, 1987 THRU MARCH 31, 1988 

TAKEN 

TAKEN AND TAGGED OR FOUND 

BY KEPT KILLED IN TAKEN AND DEAD/ T

KILLING ALIVE CAPTIVITY RELEASED STRANDED REQ

ARCTOCEPHALINE FUR SEALS 

BAIKAL SEAL 

BEARDED SEAL 

CALIFORNIA SEA LION CASPIAN SEAL CRABEATER SEAL GRAY SEAL 

HARBOR SEAL HARP SEAL, GREENLAND SEAL HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL 

KERGUELEN FUR SEAL 

LARGHA SEAL, SPOTTED SEAL LEOPARD SEAL 

NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL 

NORTHERN FUR SEAL NORTHERN (STELLER) SEA LION 

RIBBON SEAL 

RINGED SEAL ROSS SEAL 

SOUTH AFRICAN FUR SEAL SOUTH AMERICAN SEA LION 

SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL 

UNSPECIFIED MARINE MAMMALS UNSPECIFIED PINNIPEDS WALRUS 

WEDDELL SEAL WEST INDIAN MANATEE 

TOTALS: (2) 1,920 1 0 200,100 6 203,3

(1) SPECIMEN IMPORTS AND HARASSMENT ACTIVITIES NOT INCLUDED IN THIS TABLE. 

TABLE 5 - NUMBER OF CETACEANS AUTHORIZED IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH/PUBLIC 

PERMIT APPLICATIONS 

APRIL 1, 1987 THRU MARCH 31, 1988 

SOUTHERN RIGHT UHALE 

SPERM UHALE 

SPINNER DOLPHIN SPOTTED DOLPHIN STENELLINE DOLPHINS 

STRIPED DOLPHIN, STREAKER 

UNSPECIFIED CETACEANS 

VAQUITA, COCHlTO 

UHITE UHALE, BELUKHA WHITE-BEAKED DOLPHIN 

TOTALS: 0 9 5 0 375 0 4

(1) SPECIMEN IMPORTS AND HARASSMENT ACTIVITIES NOT INCLUDED IN THIS TABLE. 

(2) WHERE A PERMIT SPECIFIED THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS TO BE TAKEN WITHOUT SPECIFYING THE N

TO BE TAKEN FROM A PARTICULAR SPECIES, THE NUMBER AUTHORIZED UAS LISTED UNDER SPECIFIED C
TABLE 6 - NUMBER OF PINNIPEDS AUTHORIZED IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH/PU

PERMIT APPLICATIONS 

APRIL 1, 1987 THRU MARCH 31, 1988 

I TAKEN 

TAKEN AND TAGGED OR FOUND 

BY KEPT KILLED IN TAKEN AND DEAD/ 

KILLING ALIVE CAPTIVITY RELEASED STRAND 

ARCTOCEPHALINE FUR SEALS 

BAIKAL SEAL BEARDED SEAL 

CALIFORNIA SEA LION CASPIAN SEAL 

CRABEATER SEAL 

GRAY SEAL 

HARBOR SEALS HARP SEAL, GREENLAND SEAL HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL 

KERGUELEN FUR SEAL ' 

LARGHA SEAL, SPOTTED SEAL LEOPARD SEAL 

NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL NORTHERN FUR SEAL 

NORTHERN SEA LION/STELLER SEA LION RIBBON SEAL 

RINGED SEAL 

ROSS SEAL SOUTH AFRICAN FUR SEAL SOUTH AMERICAN SEA LION 

SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL 

UNSPECIFIED MARINE MAMMALS 

UNSPECIFIED PINNIPEDS WALRUS UEDDELL SEAL 

TOTALS: (2) 1,400 1 0 207,695 4 

(1) SPECIMEN IMPORTS AND HARASSMENT ACTIVITIES NOT INCLUDED IN THIS TABLE. (2) UHERE A PERMIT SPECIFIED THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS TO BE TAKEN UITHOUT SPECIFYING T
SPECIES 

TABLE 7 - SUMMARY OF ALL PERMITS FOR PERMANENT REMOVAL FROM THE WILD - CETACEANS FROM 1973 THRU MARCH 31, 1988 

ATLANTIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHIN 

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN 

COMMERSON 'S DOLPHIN COMMON DOLPHIN 

DALL'S PORPOISE 

FALSE KILLER WHALE 

FRASER'S (SARAUAK) DOLPHIN 

HARBOR PORPOISE 

KILLER WHALE 

LONG-FINNED PILOT WHALE 

MELON-HEADED WHALE, ELECTRA 

PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN PYGMY KILLER WHALE 

R I SSO'S DOLPHIN, GRAMPUS ROUGH-TOOTHED DOLPHIN 

SHORT-FINNED PILOT WHALE 

SPINNER DOLPHIN SPOTTED DOLPHIN STRIPED DOLPHIN, STREAKER 

UNSPECIFIED CETACEANS WHITE WHALE, BELUKHA WHITE-BEAKED DOLPHIN 

*****t*+r PERMITS ********* **********************NUMBER OF ANIMALS*************************

ISSUED EXPIRED CURRENT REQUESTED AUTHORIZED REPLACEMENTS AUTHORIZATION TAKEN T

EXPIRED (1 REM

TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS: 10,833 10,m 51 9,675 1,015 

(1) ANIMALS TAKEN INCLUDE THOSE INADVERTENTLY KILLED DURING THE CCURSE OF RESEARCH AUTHORIZING TYPES OF TAKE OTHER THAN PERMANENT 

REMOVAL. 
TABLE 8 - SUMMARY OF ALL PERMITS FOR PERMANENT REMOVAL FROM THE UILD - PINNIPEDS FROM 1973 THRU MARCH 31, 

ISSUED EXPIRED CURRENT REQUESTED AUTHORIZED REPLACEMENTS AUTHORIZATION TAKEN 

EXPI RED (1) 

ARCTOCEPHALINE FUR SEALS 1 

BAIKAL SEAL 2 BEARDED SEAL 10 

CALIFORNIA SEA LION 82 CASPIAN SEAL 1 

CRABEATER SEAL 9 

GRAY SEAL 5 

HARBOR SEAL 38 HARP SEAL, GREENLAND SEAL 1 

HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL 2 

KERGUELEN FUR SEAL 3 

LARGHA SEAL,. SPOTTED SEAL 7 

LEOPARD SEAL 8 

NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL 4 

NORTHERN FUR SEAL 4 

NORTHERN SEA LION, STELLER SEA LION 9 RIBBON SEAL 9 RINGED SEAL 12 

ROSS SEAL 6 

SOUTH AMERICAN SEA LION 4 

SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL 5 

UNSPECIFIED MARINE MAMMALS 1 

UNSPECIFIED PINNIPEDS 1 WALRUS 2 

UEDDELL SEAL 10 

TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS: 36,490 27,731 16 20,626 3,320 

(1) ANIMALS TAKEN INCLUDE THOSE INADVERTENTLY KILLED DURING THE COURSE OF RESEARCH AUTHORIZING TYPES OF TAKE OTHER THAN PER

REMOVAL. 
I - 

UEL 

3 0 

yk 

tug a v 

- 

E 

o a 

- t tc 

umuaou 

L 

m 

+mu 

atc 

Zv) 

OIW 
' TABLE 9. CONTINUED. WWUTICW ESTIMATES: CETACEA 

- Name 

Order: ataces 

Suborder: Odontocetl 

Faml ly: Delphlnldae 

Estimated Comparlson kctlc ( PACIFIC ) ( ATLANTIC ) ( 

World of Population Clrcun- ( 1 ( 1 ( 

Total bta1 polar ( Asla Alaska North South ) ( North Europe Afrlca South ) ( N

( knerlca Amerlca) (Ambrlca knerlca) (Ze

Atlantic whlte-slded dolphln no data lncanplete 24,000 + (Lagenorhynchus acutus) Paclflc whlte-slded dolphln no data l ncomp l ete + 30. OOO/ 

(Lagenorhynchus obllquldens) 50,000 

Northern rlght whale dolphln no data Incomplete + + + 

(~lssodelphls boreallr) 

Southern rlght whale dolphln no data I nc- l ete 

(~lssodelphls peronll) 

Rlsso's dolphln no data l ncomp l ete + + + + 10,000 + + + 

(Grampus grl seus) 

- 

Me Ion-headed whale no data l ncomp l ete + + 

(Peponocephala electra) 

Pygmy kl l ler whale no data Incomplete + + + + + + 

(Feresa attenuata) 

False kll ler whale no data lncm l ete + + + + + + t 

(Pseudorca crass1 dens ) 

Long-flnned pllot whale no data Incomplete t + 

(Globlcephala melaena) 

- 

Short-flnned pllot whale no data l ncomvl ete + + + + + + (Globlcephala macrorhynchus) 

Kl l ler whale no data lncornplete + + 4 + + + + + + 

(Orclnur or-) 

Rough-toothed dolphln no data Incomplete + + + + + 

(E bredanens l s) 

.. Bottlenose do1 phln no data l ncmp l ete + + + 14,000/ + + + 

(Turslops truncatus) 23,000 

Splnner dolphln no data Incomplete + 900,000 + + + 

(Stenel la longlrostrls) 

Spotted dolphln no data Incomplete + 2.2 HI1 

(Stenel la attenuate) 

- - -- - - - - -- - - .- - -- 

Atlantlc spotted dolphln no ddta I ncorrlp I ete t + + + 

(Stenel la plaglodon) 

Strlped dolphln no data l ncomp l ete + 2.3 MI l + 

(Stenel la coeruleoalbs) 

- -- 

Ccmunon dolphln no data Incomplete + 900,000 31,000 + + + 

(Delphlnus delphls) 

--- 

Fraser's dolphln no data Incomplete + + + 

(Lagenorhynchus 3) 

- Name 

Order: Carnlvora 

Suborder: PI nnlpedla 

Faml ly: Otarl ldae 

Estlmateb Canparl son Arct lc PACIFIC ATLANTIC 

Uor Id of Popu latlon ClrcumTotal htaZ polar Asla Alaska North South North Eurcpe Africa Sooth N

Amerlca Amer lca Amer lca Amer lca Ze

Callfornla sea Ilon 177,000 cmp lete 157,000 20.000 

(Zalophus callfornlanus) 

Northern sea llon 95.000/ canp lete 5,000/ 80,000/ 10,000 

(Eumetoplas Jubtus) 122,000 7,000 105,000 

South Amrlcan sea llon 273.000 canp let8 228,000 45,000 

(O+srla f lavescens) 

AustralIan sea llon 2,000/ canp lete 

(Neophoca cl nerea) 3,000 

Hooker's (New Zealand) sea llon 6,000 6.

(Phocarctos hookerl) 

Alaska or Northern fur seal 1,151.000 best 332.000 81 5.000 4,000 

(Cal lorhlnus urslnus) 

Guada lupe fur seal 1,600 cunp lete 1,600 

(Arctocephalus townsend l ) 

Juan Fernander fur seal 705/ cunp lete 705/ 

(Arctocephalus phlllppl I) 7 50 7 50 

Galapagos fur seal 1.000/ l nconplete 1 ,OOO/ 

(Arctocephalus ga lapagoensls) 5,000 5,000 

South Amer lcan fur seal 346,000 lncanp lete 294,000 52,000 

(Arctocephalus austral l s) 

Cape (South Afrlcan) and 870,000 cunp lete 850,000 

Austral l an fur sea Is 

(Arctocepha lus pus l l lus) 
h00:%5 h08:Ht w) I sn~eou3l (m 000'CCt AQJ~ oes 1 101 /0004 

ooo'sv OOS'1S 

/000'OE /000'8~ 

RECENT PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FROM NMFS REGIONS AND CENTERS 

ADDRESS : 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

Southeast Fisheries Center 

75 Virginia Beach Drive 

Miami, Florida 33149 

Burn, D.M. 1987. Progress report of bottlenose dolphin beach 

surveys in the mid-Atlantic region. NOAA/NMFS/SEFC/M~~~~ 

Laboratory Contribution CRD-87/88-09. 18 pp. 

Hansen, L.J. in press. California coastal bottlenose dolphins. 

In S. Leatherwood and R.R. Reeves (eds.), Selected papers 

on bottlenose dolphins, San Diego, Academic Press. 

Hersh, S.L. 1987. Stock structure of bottlenose dolphins (genus 

Tursiows) in the southeastern U.S.: a review and management 

considerations. Final Report, NOAA/NMFS/SEFC, Contract 

40GENF700715. 35 pp. 

Scott, G.P. in press. Management oriented research on bottlenose 

dolphins in the Southeast U.S. In S. Leatherwood and R.R. 

Reeves, (ed.), Selected papers on bottlenose dolphins. San 

Diego, Academic Press. 

Scott, G.P. and D.M. Burn. 1987. The potential impact of the 

1987 mass mortality on the mid-Atlantic off-shore stock of 

bottlenose dolphins. NoAA/NMFS/SEFC/Miami Laboratory 

Contribution CRD-87/88-10. 20 pp. 
ADDRESS : 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

Northeast Fisheries Center 

Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543 

Anonymous, 1987. Cruise results NOAA R/V GLORIA MICHELLE Cruise 

No. GM 87-11, NMFS/NEFC Woods Hole, MA. 7pp. 

Clapham, P.J. 1987 (Ed.). North Atlantic Fin Whale Research. 

Proceeding of a meeting to review methodology and to 

coordinate information exchange, 24 October 1986, 

Provincetown, MA. 25pp. 

CRWRP. 1987. NMFS/URI/NEA/CCS/WHOI cooperative right whale 

research program, "Integrated Program for Research on the 

Northern Right Whale off the Eastern United States, ttsixmonth progress report - number 1, 1 October 1986 - 31 March 

1987, to NMFS/NEFC, Cooperative Agreement No. NA-~~~-EA-H00053, Woods Hole, MA, 29pp. 

Katona, S.K., and J.A. Beard. 1987. The Humpback Whale Fluke 

Catalogue: Final Rept. to NMFS/NEFC, Contract NO. 40-EANF7000314, Woods Hole, MA, 24pp. 

Lambertsen, R.H., and D.A. Duffield. 1987. Biopsy studies of the 

humpback whale, Mesaptera novaeanqliae. Final Rept. to 

NMFS/NEFC, Contract NO. 50-EANF-00094, Woods Hole, MA, 72 

PP 

Mayo, C.A., D.K. Mattila, S. Pittman, and L. Baraff. 1987. 

Abundance, distribution, and habitat use of large whales in 

the southern Gulf of maine: May 1 - September 30, 1986. 

Annual Rept. to NMFS/NEFC, Contract No. 50-EANF-5-00130, 

Woods Hole, MA, 145pp. 

Stone, G.S:, A. Mainwaring, and J.A. Beard. 1987. Surfacing, 

Respiration, and Dive characteristics of finback whales 

(Balaenoptera ~hysalus) observed from Mount Desert Rock, 

Maine. Final Rept. to NMFS/NEFC, Contract NO. 40-EANF501300, Woods Hole, MA, 18 pp. 
ADDRESS : 

Southwest Region 

300 South Ferry Street 

Terminal Island, California 90731-7415 

Hanan, D.A., L.M. Jones, 1988. Harbor Porpoise (phocoena 

phocoena), Aerial Survey, October 26 to November 20, 1987, 

Final REport, NMFS, SWR. Coop, Agreement No. 86ABH00018, 

29PPSeagars, D.J., 1988. The fate of Released, ~ehabilitated 

Pinnipeds based on Tag-Resighting Information: A 

Preliminary Assessment. NMFS,, SWR Administrative Report, 

SWR 88-1, 31 pp. 

Hanan, D.A., J.P. School, S. Diamond, 1988. Harbor Seal (Phoca 

vitullna), Census in California, May-June, 1987. NMFS, SWR 

Administrative Report, SWR 88-2, 49pp. 
ADDRESS : 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

Southwest Fisheries Center 

P.O. Box 271 

La Jolla, California 92038 

Amstrup, S., C., and D. P. DeMaster. 1988. A biological account 

of polar bear populations in areas under U.S. jurisdiction, 

with research and management recommendations. 39-56. IN: 

Selected marine mammals of Alaska. (editor J. ~entfer). 

Marine Mammal Commission Spec. Publ. 275pp. 

Antonelis, G. A., Jr., M. S. Lowry, D. P. DeMaster, and C. H. 

Fiscus. 1987. Assessing northern elephant seal feeding 

habits by stomach lavage. Mar. Mamm. 

Sci. 3 (4) : 308-322. 

Barlow, J., C.W. Oliver, T.D. Jackson and B.L. Taylor. 1988. 

~opulation density estimates for harbor porpoise (Phocoena 

phocoena) based on aerial surveys at California, Oregon and 

washington coasts. Fish. Bull. (in press). 

Barlow, J. 1988. Harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) abundance 

estimation for California, Oregon and Washington: I. Ship 

surveys. Fish. Bull. (in press). 

Barlow, J. 1988. Harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) abundance 

estimation for California, Oregon and Washington: 11. 

Aerial surveys. Fish. Bull. (in press). 

Bernard, H. J. and A. A. Hohn. 1988. Differences in feeding 

habits between pregnant and lactating spotted dolphins 

(Stenella attenuata). J. Mamm. (in press). 

Bernard, H.J. and A.A. Hohn. 1988. Feeding habit differences 

between pregnant and lactating spotted dolphins in the 

eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. J. Mammalogy.. (in press). 

Boveng, P. 1988. Status of the northern elephant seal 

population on the U. S. west coast. Southwest Fisheries 

Center Administrative Report LJ-88-05. 

Boveng, P. 1988. Status of the Pacific harbor seal population 

on the U. S. west coast. Southwest Fisheries Center 

Administrative Report LJ-88-06. 

Boveng, P. 1988. Status of the California sea lion population 

on the U. S. west coast. Southwest Fisheries Center 

~dministrative Report IJ-88-07. 

Boveng, P., D. DeMaster, and B. Stewart. 1988. Dynamic response 

analysis. 111. A consistency filter and application to 

four northern elephant seal colonies. Marine Mammal Science 

4 (3) 000-000. (July 1988) 
Chivers, S.J., A.A. Hohn, and R.B. Miller. 1988. Composition of 

the incidental kill of small cetaceans in the US purse-seine 

fishery for tuna in the eastern tropical Pacific during 

1987. Rep. Int. Whal. Commn 39. (in press). 

DeMaster, D. P., and J. K. Drevenak. 1988. Survivorship patterns 

in three species of captive cetaceans. Mar. Mamm. science 

(in press). 

Fiedler, P.C. 1988. Surface manifestations of subsurface thermal 

structure in the California Current. J. Geophys. Res. 

93 (C5) : 4975-4984. 

Fiedler, P. C. and H. J. Bernard. 1987. Tuna aggregation and 

feeding near fronts observed in satellite imagery. Cont. 

Shelf Res., 7 (8) :871-881. 

Hohn, A.A. 1988. Reading between the lines: an analysis of age 

estimation in dolphins. IN: Reeves, R. and S. Leatherwood, 

eds. Selected Papers .on Bottlenose Dolphins, Tursiops spp. 

Academic Press. (in press). 

Hohn, A.A., H.J. Bernard, and R. Miller. 1988. Metodos de 

recoleccion y analisis de muestras del ciclo biologico de 

10s delfines. (Methods of collection and analysis of 

dolphin life history samples). IN: 0. Vidal and J. Urban, 

eds. Memorias de la XI Reunion Internacional sobre 

Mamiferos Marinos. (in press). 

Hohn, A.A., M.D. Scott, R.W. Wells, J. Sweeney, and A.B. Irvine. 

1988. Growth layers in teeth from free-ranging, known-age 

bottlenose dolphins. Mar. Mamm. Sci. (in press). 

Holt, R. S. 1987. Estimating density of dolphin schools in the 

eastern tropical Pacific ocean by line transect methods. 

Fish. Bull. 85 (3) 419-434. 

Holt, R. S. and J. B. Cologne. 1987. Factors affecting line 

transect estimates of dolphin school density. J. Wildl. 

Manage. 51(4):836-873. 

Holt, R. S., T. Gerrodette, and J. B. Cologne. 1987. Research 

vessel survey design for monitoring dolphin abundance in the 

eastern tropical Pacific. Fish. Bull. 85(3):435-446. 

Holt, R. S. and A. Jackson. 1987. Report of a marine mammal 

survey of the eastern tropical Pacific aboard the Research 

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